A Lion's Heart
by flowerchild720
Summary: Rated M for Language and Dark Themes: It's been four years since Voldemort's downfall and the Golden Trio have finally found peace in their lives. But a prophecy has the power to uproot their entire lives. An old rival may not be dead as presumed, and only with the help of an unlikely ally will the Wizarding world be safe.
1. Prologue

**A/N:**And so begins my new story. Everything follows the books up to the last. The only changes I make are the events after the battle/during the battle... slightly. It begins with four years after the battle. I plan to start off with a prologue, and then do a chapter to catch up with where our hero's are in their lives. As this is my first time back to writing in a while, please review and let me know of any changes or inconsistencies please :) Anyway, hope you like what I've got so far. Just a warning, the story may eventually have some dark themes.

I do not own anything created by J.K Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Prologue<strong>

It was a rainy Wednesday night at Hogwarts and the final touches were in place for the following day's events. Two slender figures walked through the corridors, checking to see if everything was in order for the reunion. It had been four years since the fall of Voldemort, and people were beginning to feel hopeful again.

"I believe that's everything, thank you again Sybill, for volunteering at the last minute" McGonagall sighed to the wiry witch beside her, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"Yes, well, I would have foreseen Flitwick's unfortunate coming down with the flu if I had not been in a meditative state," the professor proclaimed, receiving a cough from the Headmistress.

"Well, all the same, thank you," Minerva said with a wave of her hand. While she found the concept of divination ludicrous, she did have a soft spot for the hair brained professor, thus often humoring the witch's antics.

Leaving the school for the grounds, the two witches commended their work setting up for the next day's events. While the student's slept, the professors had transformed the area by the lake into a seating area that would allow room for the students, along with 200 guests from the public, to attend the memorial ceremonies. The area was covered by a large white tent, floating with the help of an extendable levitation charm. Under the tent was also space for an outdoor reception area, where the guests can mingle and have a drink or some snacks. Over the years, it had become mandatory that all students attend the ceremony as part of their History of Magic course; however, they would be exempt from attending any classes they had during the day.

Headmistress McGonagall traced her hand along one of the reception tables, brushing off any dust. "I do hope he attends this year," she whispered to her friend, "it would be good for him to finally get some closu- Sybill?" The witch ran to her colleague's side as she noticed she had begun to convulse. Conjuring a chair, she sat the witch down and then used her wand to perform a quick medical scan to search for any immediate health concerns. Minerva jumped back as Sybill's head snapped forward and her eyes glassed over. "Sybill?"

"When the sky falls on the fifth reunion, the darkest star will rule the land. The lion's heart must be devoured, to claim the power to rise again. The lion and the best lieutenant have met before with the lion defying persecution. And at the destruction of evil, the follower will lead to find her restitution. The one with the heart of the royal beast has the power to change the course of bygone days. So long as the frozen stars awaken, and set her heart ablaze." The divination professor collapsed into herself, her head falling to one side.

"Sybill, wake up," McGonagall called to her friend, placing one hand to the witch's forehead.

"Minerva dear, do I have a fever?" the witch asked as she slowly blinked her eyes open. The headmistress shook her head, removing her hand. "Then why did you place your hand on my forehead?"

"What did you say about a lion?"

The witch blinked, "a lion? I said nothing of a lion, but you were speaking of a dragon were you not?"

Minerva helped pull Sybill Trelawney to her feet, "come," she said, "let's get you inside."

"Ah, let's, I foresee that it will continue to rain," the witch said as she reaches her hand from under the tent out into the falling rain.

As the two witches made their way back to the castle, McGonagall quickly scanned the grounds to be sure they were alone, unable to see the eyes watching the events unfold from above them.

* * *

><p><strong>Again, please review :) Though I'm not one to post chapters based on reviews, I do appreciate them. Also, the next chapters SHOULD be much longer. This was just a little intro.<strong>


	2. Keep Your Head Up

**A/N:**Okay, here we go. Appreciate all and any reviews :) If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask.

I don't own anything created by J.K. Rowling. It's all her

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter One:<strong>** Keep Your Head Up****  
><strong>

Hermione yawned as she wiggled her toes. She went to bend her knees, stopping as she felt a rather large lump on top of her. With a groan she laughed at the fuzzy, orange cat lying across her legs. "Okay, come on Crook, it's time to get up," she mock scolded, placing her hands on her hips as she sat up from her waist. The cat peered up at its bushy haired owner only to close its eyes again. "Crookshanks," Hermione called with a little more bite in her tone. The cat yowled as it jumped off the bed, lifting its tail high in the air as it sauntered over to the door. With a shake of her head, Hermione climbed out of bed. Walking over to the door, she grabbed her robe and opened it for her scowling cat, which sped off to the kitchen the minute the door was open. "I swear," she muttered, bringing a hand to her forehead.

As she reached the kitchen, Hermione began to make herself a cup of tea when suddenly she felt something soft rub against her legs. Looking down, she could see the tiny eyes peer up at her as the cat sat beside her. "Oh, now you love me huh?" the witch muttered as she grabbed the cat food from the cupboard above her. Walking over to Crookshank's dish, with the cat right beside her, she poured some cat food, stroking her feline friend with her other hand. She had put the cat food away, grabbed her cup of tea and sat down at the table for no more than two seconds when she heard the phone ring. "Merlin!" she shouted, reaching for the phone. "Hello?"

"HELLO! HERMIONE? CAN YE HEAR ME?" a familiar voice shouted on the other end.

Hermione winced as she spilled some tea onto her lap, beginning to blot the stain out with a napkin while she held the phone away from her ear. "Dammit Ronald! How many times have I told you, you don't need to shout!" she proceeded to nag into the phone.

"SORRY- er, sorry 'Mione. Never get the hang of it," Ron stuttered.

"Now what have you possibly called for?" she sighed into the phone, deciding now that a peaceful morning was well off the cards for her.

"Well um, you see, I,"

She could picture him grasping at the back of his neck with his hand, "spit it out Ronald, you know I don't have all day," she sighed, again. Sighing was starting to become quite a habit.

"Well I just wanted to make sure we're still on for tonight, you know, you, me, Harry. The old times, I just… was worried, you know, because we haven't really heard from you in a while and I just," Ron started to ramble.

Hermione sighed, again, feeling guilty for the lack of contact she made with her two best friends. She tried to tell herself it was because she was far too busy, but in reality she was afraid it would never be the same since her split with Ron and she really didn't want to make things hard for Harry. Yet, here Ron was, being the bigger person while she sulked in her bathrobe.

"'Mione?" she heard whispered through the phone.

"Yes, yes," the witch said with a smile, "I'm sorry Ron, I really am, I've been so busy, but you know I'd never miss tonight. What time and where should we meet?"

"GREAT! Er, that's great!" he laughed, "well, the memorial is not until seven, so maybe we could meet at Harry and Gin's around five?"

Hermione smiled, "that sound's perfect Ron, we can catch up before we go. I'll see you at five."

She was about to hang up when she heard her friend's voice again. "Oh, Hermione?"

"Yes Ronald?"

She could hear his voice trembling, "I… Well… you… Imightbebringingsomeonetothememorialifit'sokaywithyou?" he rushed in one breath.

If it wasn't Hermione Jean Granger, most people would miss what her freckled friend had muttered, but she had known him for ten years after all. She let out her breath she hadn't known she was holding, "Ron, you know you don't have to ask, but I appreciate it none the less. Yes, that's fine with me. Is she someone we know?" she couldn't help but ask, the curiosity getting the best of her.

"I don't think so, but thanks Hermione! Not sure if it's really serious or anything but I want you guys to meet her," he laughed, relief flowing through his voice. "Okay, well, see you at five then!"

Hermione couldn't help but return the laugh, "see you at five Ron."

As she hung up the phone she turned to her cat, who was now perched on the table staring at her. She raised her eyebrow and giggled, "Ron has a date." The cat meowed in response. "I know, who would've thought," she said with a shrug, picking up Crookshanks, who began to purr in her embrace.

* * *

><p>Ticking off the last item on her shopping list, Hermione tucked her pen and paper into her beaded bag and made her way to Flourish and Blotts to see if any new reading had arrived. On normal occasions, she would be neck deep in paperwork for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, however being the 4th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, most of the Wizarding World was given the day off, especially granted to any member that took part in the final battle. So instead, here she was running errands for the day's events, just like every year prior, keeping herself busy so as not to think back on that dark time. Unfortunately for today, she had managed to get everything completed by two, giving her still three hours to spare. <em>Technically two<em>, she reminded herself, as she would need time to get ready.

As she entered the store she gave a gentle nod to the shop keep, who nodded in return, hardly looking up from the book he was reading. She quietly browsed the shelves looking for a new book to fill the next few hours with. Unfortunately it appeared that she had either already read most of what was in store, or it wasn't quite what she was looking for in that moment. With a curt wave she left the store with empty hands.

Looking up and down Diagon Alley, Hermione couldn't decide what to do next. She contemplated going into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, but ultimately decided that George probably wasn't in shop today. She knew she could always pick up more supplies at the Apothecary, one could never be too prepared after all, but she finally settled on ice cream from Fortescue's.

The bell chimed as she entered her favourite ice cream shop. "Hi, I'll take two scoops of chocolate and one scoop of butterscotch please," she asked the attendant.

"Coming right up!"

Hermione grabbed her cone and paid the attendant before walking over to a small table in the corner. She sat down and hummed as she took her first bite of the chocolate, closing her eyes as it trickled down her throat. Ice cream was one of her guilty pleasures. Growing up she wasn't allowed many sweets, her parents being dentists, but she would always remember coming downstairs at midnight some nights, seeing her father scooping his favourite, caramel rocky road, right out of the carton. They made an agreement that they would do this together every other Friday night, at midnight, if they both promised not to tell mother. Hermione sighed as she thought of her parents. While she had managed to track them down after the war, they didn't take too kindly having their lives taken from them. While they still kept in touch, they were since hesitant to be around their daughter, afraid of her magic. Her mother in particular, always seemed to find some excuse to not be able to make it to dinner, leaving her and her father to catch up.

Lost in her thoughts she hardly heard the small voice coming from her left. Finally she turned to see a petite, blonde girl looking up at her with big brown eyes.

"Excuse me miss, Miss Hermione?" the girl cooed. She could be no more than six.

"Yes," Hermione replied with a smile as she leaned toward the child.

The child looked back at her father who nodded encouragingly to his daughter. "Could I have your autograph?"

Hermione, impressed with the child's language skills glanced up at the man, who gave her an apologetic smile. Hermione beamed down at the young girl, "of course, but how about I do one better," she suggested. She reached into her beaded bag and pulled out a Polaroid camera. Crouching down next to the little girl she turned the camera to take a picture. As she snapped the picture the child stared, mesmerized as a small square popped out the front of the weird machine. Hermione grabbed the small square and picked up her pen. "Now what's your name sweetie?"

"Flora," the girl squeaked.

"That's a beautiful name," Hermione smiled as she signed the photo, writing a small note on the bottom that read – _Dear Flora, love is what binds us and makes us stronger, love the world and you will always have the strength to become who you want to be. Hermione Granger._

"Th-thanks Miss. Hermione!" the girl stammered as Hermione handed her the photo. The girl skipped back to her father, placing her tiny hands in his. The man gave a small nod to Hermione before the two left the store.

Hermione let out a small chuckle as she heard the girl say, "Daddy, why won't this picture move?" as she left the shop. With a quick check of her watch, Hermione noticed that she had been sitting there longer than she thought. She only had about an hour before she had to leave for the night. Quickly finishing off her ice cream she waved goodbye to the shop attendant and hurried out the door. She rushed down the street toward the Leaky Cauldron. She ran through the bar, through the back wall, and through the bar on the muggle side of town. While apparating was much faster, Hermione lived in a muggle town, and seeing as she had left her flat the muggle way to take up time, she couldn't return through apparition without creating suspicion. She was about to run to catch the bus when she heard a commotion coming from the bar just behind her.

"I told you to stay outta here ye scum!" she could the grisly man say. Turning around she watched as a big burly man threw a smaller, blonde man from The Leaky Cauldron. Looking around she thanked Merlin no muggles were nearby, surely this could cause for some confusion.

"Come on, I can pay you twice what you make now, I just want a bloody drink mate!" the blonde man yelled back.

"I don't want your filthy money," the bigger man yelled back, spitting on the ground near the feet of the blonde man.

The younger man's voice lowered and Hermione could just barely make it out. But she heard it nonetheless. "Please," the man cried, "I'm not here for trouble, but this day of all days, a man deserves a drink doesn't he?"

Hermione couldn't help but begin to think the voice was rather familiar. She was about to walk closer to try and help the poor man but was stopped in her tracks by the larger man's next words. "Not if he was one of them Death Eaters he don't," with that, the man went back into the bar, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione's eyes widened as she realized why that voice had sounded so familiar, quickly turning away and waving down a taxi, her bus long gone by now. When she got back to her flat, she ran to her bathroom, scrubbing at her eyes. Had she really just seen Draco Malfoy? In Muggle London? Begging? Shaking her head she pushed the thought aside and cursed as she saw the time.

After having a quick shower, Hermione ran down to the kitchen and fed Crookshanks while she attempted to pull her black dress down over her head, her bushy hair catching in the zipper. "Ow, bloody h-" she mumbled as she stumbled across her flat. Her dress finally on, she ran back to the bathroom and began trying to tame her hair. After ten minutes, she gave up, deciding to pull it back into a messy bun. Over the years she had been tempted many times to just cut her hair short, but despite her hatred for it, her bushy mane was a part of her. With a grunt she slipped into her heels and made it back downstairs just in time to see her fire roar to life with green flames.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm coming!" she shouted into the flames, scowling at Ginny's laughter coming from the other end. With a quick glance around the room, she double checked her back for her wand, grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. "Twelve Grimmauld Place," she spoke as she was whisked away to her best friend's house.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just to catch everyone up to speed: Hermione lives in Muggle London, her and Ron broke up amicably. (I'll go more into detail on that later). Her and her parent's relationship is a bit rocky. And they're headed to the fourth memorial of the Battle of Hogwarts... which we will see in a chapter or two. Next chapter will be from a different character's perspective :) Let me know what you think via reviews lovely readers :)  
><strong>


	3. Long Way Down

**A/N:  **Okay, so this chapter was a little difficult for me to write, mainly because I just want to get on with the next few chapters... but I felt like this chapter was needed for a bit of an inside look into Draco's life. Anywho... enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to J.K. Rowling's work. It's all hers.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Two:<span> _Long Way Down_  
><strong>

Lying on the cold ground, Draco wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, growling at the blood that stained his pale skin.

"I told you to stay outta here ye scum!" The man's words filled the air.

Draco gathered himself, standing to his feet and glared at the man. "Come on, I can pay you twice what you make now, I just want a bloody drink mate!" he yelled.

"I don't want your filthy money," Draco had to bite his tongue as he watched the man's spit fall to his feet. Years ago, no one would dare disgrace a Malfoy. People respected the name, feared it. But then ironically, they brought upon their own disgrace. It wasn't in the name, or the blood, it was the choices his family had made that truly led to their downfall.

Draco looked up at the man and lowered his voice, beginning to sense his own desperation, "please, I'm not here for trouble," he sighed, "but this day of all days, a man deserves a drink doesn't he?"

His last attempt faltered however and Draco sank to the ground as the man turned away from him. "Not if he was one of them Death Eaters he don't," the man said, slamming the door behind him.

Draco sat on the cobblestone for a few seconds, unsure of where to go next. His hand clutched a rock that was lying beside him. He threw it toward the bar, the rock skipping across the ground, as he let a groan. That's when he heard a petite voice call for a taxi. He turned to the familiar voice, only catching a glimpse of brown, bushy curls flying about as the girl stepped into the cab.

With a sigh, Draco got to his feet and hobbled his way to a nearby ally, apparating on the spot. When he arrived back at his flat he fell into his chair with a grunt. The last four years had certainly not been kind to Draco, but the worst day of all was today. Each year he had to relive the memories of his past. He had to relive all the lives he had destroyed just by being too afraid to defy The Dark Lord. He laughed at his thoughts. _Dark Lord, some Lord you were._ Every year, Draco had begun a tradition of getting as piss drunk as he could; creating a sort of competition with himself, each year surpassing the last. This year was no different, minus the fact that no one would bloody serve a Death Eater, reformed or not. "Reformed," he scoffed. It wasn't that he thought of himself as a Death Eater anymore, but he hardly considered alcoholic depression 'reformed'.

After the war, Harry Potter, the golden child himself, had testified on the Malfoys' behalf, earning Draco only a year of probation, his mother was cleared of all charges, and his father was on house arrest for, well, for the remainder of his life. Which suited Draco just fine for he could care less if he ever saw his father again for it was his fault why Draco was even in this mess to begin with. It was during the first year that Draco really saw his father's true colours. His mother tried to protect him, but his father blamed Draco directly for their situation.

Draco shut his eyes as the memories began to overwhelm him, his fingernails digging into the arms of the chair. Bolting from his chair, he frantically searched for something to distract him, something to remove the pain. He searched his cupboards and shelves, throwing its contents to the floor the more they would turn up empty of what he was seeking. Finally in the back of his cupboard he found a dusty wine bottle.

Carrying it into the sitting room, he removed the cork with his wand. He began to chug from the bottle, spitting out its contents as he read the label. "Superior Red," he growled as he threw the bottle across the room, watching as the glass shattered against the brick fireplace. He walked over to the broken glass and stared down at it for a moment, before crouching down and picking up a rather large shard of the glass. He sliced across his hand, hardly wincing at the pain, and watched as the blood trickled down his arm. He tilted his head as he watched a trail of blood fall down to his elbow. "It's certainly red, I'll give you that father," he spoke to himself, "but superior my arse," he yelled as he slammed his hand against the wall.

Finally picking himself up off the floor he walked back to his chair and slumped down, curiously reaching to the mail he had received earlier that week. He paused at a letter that he had read several times this week, unsure why it was addressed to him.

_Draco Malfoy_

_You are formally invited to the fourth annual commemoration of the Battle of Hogwarts that took place on May 2__nd__, 1998 to honour those that dedicated their lives for a brighter future. It is important to remember those that fought to achieve the peace we now live among. The memorial will take place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on May 2__nd__, 2002, at the nineteenth hour. A reception will follow, with food and refreshments for those that wish to stay and share their memories with one another._

_Thank you and we look forward to seeing you,_

_Minerva McGonagall  
>Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<em>

Draco sneered as he threw the letter into the fireplace, finally deciding it wasn't worth the trouble thinking about.

"I had a feeling you might feel that way," a voice sighed, causing Draco to nearly fall out of his seat.

Draco jumped to his feet, wand in hand as he scanned the room. "Who-who's there?" he yelled.

"Lower your wand Mr. Malfoy, I am not here to harm you," said the familiar voice as a tall woman appeared from the hallway.

"McGonagall? How? There was no one here I swear it!" he stammered as he looked suspiciously around the room.

McGonagall let out a soft chuckle, "you forget how easy it is to hide in plain sight Mr. Malfoy, now sit," she commanded with a cat-like grin. Draco sat, purely out of curiosity for what the older witch had to say. He watched as she looked around the room, a look of pity plastered on her face. She finally looked back to him and gave him a sad smile. "You have more potential than this Draco," she started, ignoring the snort her former pupil gave. "Now look here, I may not have approved of the choices you were forced into, but I give credit where it's due Mr. Malfoy, and you were a fine young student. I understand that the years following the war have not been kind to you, but I refuse to allow a man such as you waste away his talent."

Draco looked up to his teacher and laughed. It was probably the first time he had genuinely laughed in a long time. He wiped away the tears his laughter brought before responding to the Professor with a hint of a chuckle still in his voice. "I appreciate the praise, but I'm sorry, talent is useless, and what sort of idiot do you take me for? Do you think I haven't tried? Face it; no one wants to hire a Death Eater. No one wants to believe that the man who tried to kill the great and wonderful Albus Dumbledore has rejected his old ways. Hell, I'm not certain I believe it myself," he mumbled as he slouched in his chair.

"The mere fact that you recognize someone's compliments and apologize, sarcastic or not, shows miles more than you lead on Mr. Malfoy," the witch drawled. "Never the less, I am extending the invitation once more to come to the memorial. Just humour me. If you find it too much to stomach, you may leave at any moment of course, but I highly encourage you to clean yourself up and attend. There will be many guests attending that you might find useful in getting yourself back on your feet. I know your family's wine business hasn't exactly been booming," she added with a quirked eyebrow.

Draco grunted in response as he chewed the inside of his cheek considering her offer. "Will there be alcohol?" he asked.

The witch nodded before adding, "While I will not exclude you from having a drink, as I can see you greatly need one, I will not tolerate any drunken or inappropriate behaviour. Do you understand?"

The blonde man shrugged, finally giving a curt nod to his former professor.

"Very well, I shall see you at seven o'clock," the witch started as she made her way to the front door. "And Draco?"

Draco looked up at McGonagall, eyes furrowing with curiosity.

"Take care of yourself."

He watched as the witch left his flat and stared at the door for several minutes as he contemplated the events that had just taken place. Had he really just agreed to go to a reunion dedicated to the people that had died fighting against what he had once believed in? Draco placed his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, as he considered just how desperate he was for a drink.

His thoughts slowly drifted to memories of the darker parts of his life. He could remember the look on the woman's face as she begged Snape to help her. He had never taken Muggle Studies of course, but still, someone he had seen every day at Hogwarts, someone he could have saved, is dead. He recalled the days when his father told him to drag two students he recognized from Hogwarts down to the cellars. His body began to shake as he recalled that Easter when he had to watch his Aunt torture his childhood rival and all he did was watch. He covered his ears as he remembered her screams and began to rock back and forth as he pictured the blood, her blood, form puddles on the ground beneath her. His mind shifted to a few weeks later, the day of the battle. He recalled seeing bodies strewn throughout the castle. Bodies of his classmates, teachers, and even friends, if he could call them that, were littered through the corridors. Draco remembered the taste of vomit as he watched one girl he recognized from his year being torn apart by Greyback. Finally, he remembered walking away, walking away while the others still fought. After they believed Harry to be dead, they still defied the Dark Lord, and he just walked away.

_Coward._

_Useless._

_Pathetic._

The words repeated in his head until he stood up and screamed, throwing his fist into the wall.

Draco got to his feet and made his way to the washroom. He washed the blood from his hands, not bothering to heal his cuts, leaving them as a reminder that he is no different. With the quick check of the time he realized he still had time for a shower. Removing his clothes, he turned the water on, blazing hot, and stepped behind the curtain. As soon as the water fell over his skin, he instantly felt relief, relishing the burning sensation throughout his body. When he finished, he made his way to his room to get ready for the evening's events.

It didn't take him long to be ready, but with a quick glance in the mirror he cursed. _I look like shit,_ he thought to himself.

The four years of abuse and self-pity had worn Draco thin. His cheeks looked hollow and his eyes had darker circles than they did in sixth year. Grabbing a small bottle of pepper-up potion and invigoration draught from the medicine cabinet, downing both vials quickly. Grabbing his cloak, he double checked his wards, still not quite sure how his former professor managed to get in undetected, and finally left his apartment.


	4. Ghosts That We Know

**A/N:**Okay so I was going to make this chapter longer, but I figured the second part was going to be fairly long too, so why not split it. Plus this way I can maybe get a bit of Draco's POV in there too. What do you think? By the way, I know I'm on a bit of a roll right now, but I'm trying to get as much of this posted as I can before my life gets busy again. Should have the next one up tomorrow at some point :) Thank you all for reading!

Ps. Would you guys like to see titles for each chapter? Or is the "Chapter one, chapter two etc.." alright. I'm not 100% sure on that...

I don't own any of this. It's all J.K Rowling's

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Three:<strong>** _Ghosts That We Knew_  
><strong>

As Hermione stepped through the fireplace into the living room of her best friend's house, she couldn't help but admire all the hard work that had gone into fixing the place up. Granted, she had played a huge part in fixing it herself, it was still nice to see that while the character was still in place, no longer brandished on the walls were the memories of those long nights sleeping on seat cushions, worrying when their last days will be. She stumbled back as Ginny threw her arms around her friend with a squeal.

"Hermione!" she shouted, "you made it!"

"Yes Gin, like every year," the brunette squeaked out, trying to loosen her friend's embrace. As Ginny let go of her friend, Harry walked into the room, a grin growing from cheek to cheek. Hermione gave her friend a hug, placing a small kiss on his cheek causing him to blush.

"Hey Hermione, you look good," he smiled softly, Hermione noticing a twinge of sadness in his eyes. She knew this one of the hardest days for Harry, for all of them really, but he was still struggling with recognizing that it was not his fault. No one had died for him. They died for a better future for everyone, and he was just going to have to realize this one day, but for now, Hermione allowed her friend to grieve. After all, she was the poster child for pushing aside her grief.

"Is Ron here yet?" she asked, sitting in the chair across from where Harry was now sitting next to his wife.

The two exchanged a look, unsure of what to say to their bushy haired friend. However, Hermione beat them to it.

"Oh stop it, I know he's bringing someone, he called me this morning. I'm perfectly okay with it," she said honestly. Her two friends both released a breath they had been holding. She gave them both her best 'I'm Hermione Jean Granger' smile as she crossed her legs. She glanced at the ring on Ginny's hand and sighed as she recalled the wedding. They got married in the last Summer at the Burrow, Ginny had managed to take a week off from Quidditch, so they could travel to Greece for their honeymoon. While she certainly was glad that things with Ron ended the way they had, she couldn't help but feel a tad lonely. However, she refused to show it, she hated the looks of pity her friends always seemed to give her, especially lately. Hermione was dedicated to her career after all, she had no time for relationships. She hardly had time for her friends for Merlin's sake.

Suddenly the fire flickered green and they had to laugh as Ron stumbled clumsily into the room. "Er, hi guys," he waved sheepishly.

"Ahem," Ginny coughed, raising her eyebrows at her brother.

"Wha- Oh! Right," he stammered, "guys, this is Allison, Allison this is guys, er I mean, yeah," he said, scratching the back of his head.

A fairly tall girl stepped into the room. She had pin-straight black hair, and kind eyes. The girl blushed nervously before giving them all a small wave. Hermione was the first to stand and shake the girl's hand.

"Hi Allison, I'm Hermi-"

The girl grabbed Hermione's hand with both hands and shook it furiously causing Hermione's whole arm to shake. "Oh I know all about you Hermione, you're the brightest witch of our age! I know all of you, who doesn't know all of you," the girl chuckled nervously. Hermione glanced at Ginny who shrugged in return.

Harry was the next to speak up, "well, it's nice to finally meet you Allison. So what exactly do you do? How did you and Ron meet?"

The girl sat herself down in one of the chairs and began to tell the story in great detail. Hermione glanced to Ron who smirked sheepishly, as if to say 'sorry guys'. Ginny spoke up, interrupting the newcomer briefly, "I'm sorry Allison, but would anyone like a drink?" Everyone nodded in response and Hermione barely missed Ginny's pointed glance, but luckily caught it at the last second.

"I'll help you Gin!" she called after her fiery friend as she left for the kitchen.

When the two girls reached the kitchen, Ginny turned and leaned against the counter, letting out a long groan she had clearly been holding back. "Oh be nice! She's a nice girl," Hermione said, unable to contain her grin.

"Doesn't shut up that one does she?" the red head complained. "I mean really Ronald? We're going to a memorial service, not some school reunion where we show off how far we've come. I mean, come on, we all know who would win that competition anyway," she said as she brushed off her nails.

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh at her friend's comments. They began to pour some drinks for their friends when Hermione turned to Ginny again and whispered, "how's he holding up?"

Ginny sighed as she placed the bottle of Butterbeer on the counter. "Honestly?" Hermione nodded. "He's had better days. I think each year he gets worse and worse, you know? I mean, he still refuses to let me touch Sirius' room. I don't want to change it, but it might be nice to at least tidy it up, maybe create a memorial for him. He's lost so much Hermione, and I just," a tear escaped Ginny's eye, but she quickly wiped it away.

Hermione threw her arms around her friend, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "It'll be okay Ginny, like you said; he has his good days too. I think for now, it is best we just give him time," she suggested.

"How do you do it Hermione? How do you manage to stay so strong when the world crashes around you?" her friend sobbed into her shoulder.

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as she held Ginny out by her shoulders. "I'm hardly strong Gin," she shrugged, "we should get back in there before the boys hex us."

The two girls grabbed the allotted drinks and carried them back into the room to where Allison was still animatedly telling the tale of she met the 'Great Ronald Weasley'. If Hermione was perfectly honest, she felt this girl was more of a fan, than a date, but she was happy for Ron regardless because she knew he hated being alone on this day, so if a girl to fawn over him was what he needed to get through the night, who was she to judge. As long as her friends were happy, she was happy. Hermione smiled at her friends as she thought of how far they had come, and how much they had achieved.

Harry was the leading Auror at the Ministry, he and Ron creating a 'dream team' of sorts, revolutionizing how Aurors are trained. Ron also spent some his time helping George at the shop. While Harry and Hermione both seemed to shy away from the tabloids and press, Ron was always more than happy to step up to the plate, which both of them were more than grateful for. Ginny was a chaser for the Holyhead Harpies and was traveling the world for matches, which she would sometimes bring her friends along. While Hermione herself was happy with her current position in the Ministry, she did sometimes feel frustrated by the lack of support she received on some of her endeavours. While Harry had offered to pull some strings for her, she knew she he hated using his fame to advance his own career, so she refused to allow him to do the same for her. No, Hermione was content with where she was, so long as her friends were happy.

It was nearing time to leave, so the five young witches and wizards grabbed their coats and made their way to the nearest apparition point. Ron and Allison were the first to leave, disappearing on the spot. Ginny and Harry gave Hermione a quiet nod before leaving as well. Finally Hermione double checked she had everything before disapparating to Hogwarts.

* * *

><p>The ground was still wet from the rain the night before, and Hermione almost lost her footing as she landed outside the gates of her old home. Staring up at the large gates in front of her, she sighed as she recalled her first time ever laying eyes on the castle. Now, knowing all that she knows, it seems a lot smaller than it did when she was innocent. The five of them waited for their carriage to arrive. When it did, Allison climbed in and only pausing when she realized no one had joined her.<p>

"What are you looking at?" she asked, her brows furrowing as she glanced in the direction the four friends were staring.

Hermione gently traced along the back of Thestral, closing her eyes as she tried to push back the memories of all the people they had lost. It still gave her chills to see these creatures in their full form even after all these years. Finally the four friends climbed into the carriage, Hermione staring out the window as they made their way once again to their old home.

When they finally reached the grounds, Hermione couldn't help but beam as she opened the carriage door to see Professor McGonagall waiting for their arrival.

"Professor!" she smiled, holding out her hand to her favourite teacher.

"Please Miss. Granger, it is Minerva for you dear," the woman smiled, a twinkle in her eye.

Hermione grinned as the older woman pulled her favourite student in for a hug. "As long as you call me Hermione from now on," the young witch laughed.

Minerva smiled, "of course."

Harry and Ginny both gave their old professor a quick hug as they filed out of the carriage. Ron shook McGonagall hand as a blush crept up his cheeks, still embarrassed by the time he had danced with her in fourth year. "And who's this?" the older witch asked as Allison climbed onto the ground.

"Allison Bauclair, this is Profess-er- Minerva McGonagall, our old professor, and the new Headmistress."

The two witches shook hands as Minerva smiled at the young witch. "Very well, come with me and we'll get you seated. It seems like a rather large turn out this year."

"Are all the students attending?" asked Harry.

"Yes, all of them, it is part of the new History of Magic curriculum. We believe the students deserve to know the past, whether good or bad."

"I believe that's brilliant, profess- Minerva," Hermione corrected herself. "How is the school doing this year anyway if you don't mind my asking?" she questioned.

Minerva smiled kindly at Hermione. "Splendid, there are some first years that are a bit troublesome mind you, but it can't be any worse than when you three were in school," the woman chuckled.

The trio blushed nervously, Ginny only rolling her eyes. "And how are the other professors doing?" Hermione asked.

McGonagall kept gaze straight as she tried to smile politely. "Fine, just fine, Hermione."

Hermione frowned as she detected the Headmistress was withholding information from them, but shrugged it off as they neared the seating area. Tonight was neither the time nor place to worry; it was the time to remember. Taking their seats, in the front row as usual, Hermione could hear Ron muttering under his breath. "What was that Ron?" she asked.

"What in the bloody hell is HE doing here?" he growled a little louder, cocking his head in the direction of a pale, blonde haired man one could only know as Draco Malfoy.

Hermione's face grew red as she recalled what she had witnessed earlier that day. Harry merely shrugged offering only a few words to Ron. "If he wants to pay his respects, let him Ron."

"He's the reason many of these people are dead,"

"Shut it Ron," Harry warned, gaining silence from his friend.

Hermione, who was sitting beside Ginny, leaned over to her friend and whispered, "I saw Draco earlier today."

Ginny turned, raising an eyebrow. Hermione shook her head solemnly. "He didn't look well, he was being kicked out of the Leaky, in Muggle London no less," the girl confessed. Ginny glanced over to where the blonde man now sat, nodding as she noticed he did not appear to be in the best of shape.

"What happened to him?" Ginny wondered. Hermione only managed to shrug when McGonagall's voice boomed over the crowd.

"Places, everyone, take your seats, we are about to begin. If you could all please be seated," the witch paused, waiting for all the guests and students to take their seats. "Thank you. Now, we are gathered here today not only to pay our respects to those who sacrificed their lives four years ago, but to remember all of those who had given their lives to make our world a better, safer place for each other, and our children in the history of time. We are here to recognize those still living, which fought so hard so that we can all be here today. We are here to remember the battles won and lost, not just on the battlefield, but within ourselves, to do what's right, or to choose not to do wrong. As a great man had once said, "it is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

The crowd gave a small applaud at the memory of Albus Dumbledore. McGonagall gave a soft smile in Harry's direction, who nodded in response, grateful for the mention of the late Headmaster. Hermione glanced over at Draco, whom she half expected to be picking dirt from under his fingernails; instead she was surprised to see he seemed focused on each word McGonagall had to say. She quickly face forward as he glanced her way, momentarily making eye contact.

"Now, this year, I would like to start off by honouring all the sacrifices made for us today. If I could have everyone stand," the entire crowd rose their feet, Hermione clasping her hands in front of her. "If we could all take a moment of silence to reflect," the Headmistress said, bowing her head along with everyone else.

Hermione let her thoughts drift for the first time that day to everyone they had lost through the years. She remembered poor Cedric, a loyal man who was taken from his family much too young. She thought of Sirius, the man who had become a father figure to Harry, the man who was supposed to keep Harry safe. A small tear rolled down her cheek as she thought of her best friend, and all the people he had lost. Hermione sobbed as she remembered Dumbledore's lifeless body on the ground. She then thought of Lupin, and her heart felt as if it were going to tear in half at the thought of poor Teddy growing up without his parents. The symmetry between Harry and Teddy was too familiar. Faces began to flash through her mind, Fred, Lavender, Colin, even the image of Crabbe falling to his death plagued her mind. Each face that appeared, a new tear fell down her face. She felt Ginny's hand grasp hers, the two searching for something stable to hold on to. Hermione let one last tear fall in memory of her parents, when she finally lifted her head, unable to reflect a moment longer. Distracting herself from the pain, she looked around the crowd, trying to find anything that might take her mind away from her living nightmares when her gaze fell upon Draco's once again. He seemed to be staring back as well, giving her a slight nod, before turning away. Hermione quickly wiped her tears away and took her seat as McGonagall's voice echoed across.

"Thank you, you may take your seats again," she paused, wiping away her own tears. "Now, as I said before, while tonight is a night for remembering the lives lost, it also a night to honor those still with us. Those who fought, even in the smallest of ways, to defeat darkness. Those who ignored temptation and fought for the light. I have a few guests of honor I would like to introduce that may wish to speak to you all tonight. First, I would like to call to the stage Professor Neville Longbottom. Neville dear, come on up."

The crowd cheered as the wizard clumsily made his way to the stage. "Hi," he smiled with a nod. Hermione couldn't help but grin at her friend and just how much he had grown. No more was the nervous little Neville that had lost his toad; now stood Neville Longbottom, a brave friend with a heart of gold. "I wasn't really planning on saying anything, but Professor McGonagall says that there are some first years in attendance that I may like to speak to. Well, I just want to tell you all that you should never be afraid to do what's right. Even if it doesn't seem like the popular thing to do, do what you believe is right in your heart. If there is anything I have taken from my time at Hogwarts is that your heart can never steer you astray. Thank you," he smiled as he made his way back to his seat. Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ron were among several others that stood for their classmate, cheering him on.

"Thank you Professor," McGonagall announced. "Now, unfortunately, I've been informed that we are running out of time for the evening as it approaching the first year's curfew. I would just like to say a few words on behalf of all our guests. No matter the fight, and no matter the struggle, just know that you have each other. And while at times things may seem like you will never find the light, just let your heart guide you and you will never be alone. Now, refreshments are being served for those who wish to stay a little longer and catch up with old friends, as for my students, all third year students and below, you are to head back to the castle for curfew. Thank you for attending, and I wish you all well." The entire crowd stood for the Headmistress, applauding as she made her way down the stage. As soon as she reached the last step, the gathering began to disperse. Many students made their way back to the castle, some of the older years remaining behind to chat with family and friends that attended.

Minerva made her way to the trio and smiled. "So what do you think?" she asked.

"Thank you for keeping it shorter this year," Harry mentioned appreciatively.

"I remember your lack of fondness for public speaking Harry, it's quite alright. Now if you'll excuse me I need to have a quick word with the Minister." The three of them watched as their old professor scurried over to Kingsley.

"I wonder what that's about," said a familiar voice from behind them.

"Neville!" Hermione shouted as she wrapped her arms around her friend. Ginny had brought Neville over when she found him while getting some plates for the friends. "You were great Neville!"

"Thanks Hermione," he said with a blush.

"How are classes, Neville?" This time it was Ron who asked the questions.

"Great actually, I've got a great group of second years this year. Last years were a bit squeamish. Thanks," he said to Ginny as she handed him a plate.

Ginny grabbed Harry's arm and started tugging him toward the reception area. "It's great to hear Neville, but let's all move this way or we'll miss out on the food!"

The six of them slowly made their way to the reception area, Hermione being slightly caught off guard when Minerva called her over. "One second guys," she said to her friends, running over to greet Minerva and the Minister. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

Kingsley and Minerva exchanged a glance before Minerva answered the girl, "after the reception, would you mind meeting us in my office? The password is Pride of Portree," she whispered.

"What's wrong Minerva?" she asked, only growing frustrated when her former professor cut her off and told her to go back to her friends.

When Hermione arrived back to where her friends were standing Harry gave her a concerned look, but all she could do was shrug. "I'm to meet her in her office after."

"Well, we're coming with you," Harry proclaimed.

"Nonse" she began before Ron interrupted.

"'Mione, don't do this. Don't cut us out. We're coming and that's final."

Hermione sighed as she gave in to her friends. "Fine," she muttered as she grabbed a glass of wine from the table, drinking it much faster than she should have.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just a little fun fact. Pride of Portree is a Quidditch Team from Isle of Skye, which is in Scotland. McGonagall is an avid Quidditch fan, and also from Scotland, so thought it would be fitting that she would name her passwords off her favourite team. (In my mind she likes Pride of Portree the best. Montrose Magpies may be good, but in my mind she favours the underdogs.) Just a little headcanon for you :) Thanks again! Also, please point any grammar errors if you could... It's currently 3:30 am and I'm afraid my brain just doesn't work as well as it does during the day... unfortunately as well... my inspiration usually doesn't kick in until after 10pm. Thank you thank you thank you, you guys rock, don't ever change!**


	5. Devil's Spoke

**A/N:** I hope you all liked the last chapter! Here's the next one. I hope Ron's not coming off as too much of an ass, he just really does not like Draco... not to mention this IS from Draco's perspective, so to him, Ron is an ass. lol. Anyway, enjoy! :) Again, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, please review! While I'm not the type of person to hold back a chapter due to lack of reviews, I do enjoy reading feedback, to see if this story is going the right way.

Once again, I do not own anything. The characters etc. all belong to JKR. I only like to re-imagine what happens to them.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Four:<strong>** _Devil's Spoke_  
><strong>

Draco kicked a rock up the path as he made his way to the castle gates, apparating just on the edge of Hogsmeade. Placing his hands in his pockets he slowly made his way to where he knew the carriages would be waiting. As he came up to one of the carriages, he sighed, gently stroking the creature's spine. Draco remembered his first time seeing a Thestral; it had been during the beginning of his Fourth year after witnessing someone die at the hands of his father earlier that summer. That was the first time he truly understood the coldness in his father. Giving the creature a gentle pat on the back, he climbed into the carriage and made his way up to the castle he hadn't seen in, well, four years to be exact.

As he climbed down the steps when he reached his destination, he glanced around, trying to find a familiar face that might actually welcome him. His eyes quickly glanced at familiar group of faces, his eyes locking briefly with none other than Hermione Granger. "Fuck," he mumbled as he turned away with a scowl. He knew this night was going to be hell and instantly regretting coming, but as he went to walk back to the gates, he bumped into the woman he had spoken to only hours earlier.

"Mister Malfoy, leaving so soon?" McGonagall asked.

Draco looked up at his former teacher and tried his best to smile. "You said I was free to," he said with a drawl.

"I do wish you would stay, but before you go," she smirked as she slipped a small bottle into his hands. Draco looked down at the flask of Firewhiskey and blinked a few times, before looking back up at the professor for an explanation. "While I did say you may leave at any time, I do hope you will stay. I do have some matters I would like to speak with you about later this evening. You see, you weren't just asked here to watch the ceremony, though I do believe it may help you, I need to have a private word with you in my office once everyone has left. That," she said with a nod to the bottle she had given him, "is for you afterward. I have a feeling you will need it."

"Why couldn't you just speak to me at my flat instead of all, this," Draco spat as he gestured around the grounds.

Minerva looked down at the boy and sighed, realizing he was a far cry from the innocent young boy that first stepped into her classroom. "Because Draco, there are others that this concerns," she said as her gaze became distant. "Please, do stay; there are refreshments like I promised."

Draco growled as the woman made her way to the front of the crowd and began to ask everyone to take their seats. He was close to running for the gates and distancing himself far away from school, but something in McGonagall's tone edged at his curiosity. What could be so concerning she needed to schedule a meeting today? Reluctantly, he collapsed into the nearest chair, listening intently as the woman spoke about remembrance, and respecting the dead. He had to bounce his leg to keep the edge off while he waited, knowing it would not look to kindly if he opened his little gift in the middle of her presentation. But it was now coming up to about two days he hadn't a drink and he was starting to feel anxious. _Merlin, I have a problem,_ he thought, fully knowing it was not a problem he was going to fix any time in the near future.

Draco stood on his feet as she instructed them to, however refusing to allow his thoughts to think about all those that were now dead. He refused to let the images flash through his mind, taunting him and filling him with guilt. Attempting to find anything to distract him, his gaze fell upon the castle he had called home for so many years. He searched the walls for any signs of the destruction from the war, but when he found none he had to give praise to the witches and wizards that helped to rebuild the majestic school. His eyes slowly followed along the bricks, but he quickly averted his gaze to the ground, clutching his stomach as his eyes glimpsed the astronomy tower. He shut his eyes and recalled standing there, Death Eaters surrounding him, as he held Dumbledore at wand point. Tears filled his eyes, and he knew he would never be able to do it. He knew he didn't have it in him. But he also knew, if he didn't complete the task, either his father, his mother, or he himself would be sentenced to death by the Dark Lord. Draco's hands began to shake as he remembered his hand start to lower. He had to bite hard on his lower lip to keep himself from screaming as the flash of green light replayed in his mind. Dumbledore's lifeless eyes were the last thing to haunt him before he snapped his attention to the stage, shutting out all thoughts of the past.

He wrapped his hands into fists, his fingernails surely making small cuts into his palms, as he regained his composure. With a quick look to see if anyone had seen his little meltdown, he froze as he watched the brown haired girl turn and make eye contact. He noticed the redness of fresh tears in her eyes, he could see a look of sorrow on her face, and he realized she was the only other one not paying their respects to the dead. He gave her a small nod, knowing full too well the pain of having memories repeat themselves over and over again.

Finally, Draco was able to take his seat again. He listened intently as McGonagall spoke again. He couldn't help but wonder if all her talk of "fighting the darkness within" was directed at him, but scoffed at the idea. He was never truly evil, nor was he good. He was weak. The appearance of Neville Longbottom only solidified his concerns. _Longbottom has even more guts than I do,_ he snorted internally. Tonight was certainly going to be a very long one.

As soon as the guests were cleared to go to the reception, Draco found himself with two drinks in his left hand as he drank from another in his right. He carried his drinks to a corner table in the reception area, silently watching as the witches and wizards mingled about. He took another drink, closing his eyes at the sweet relief of the alcohol burning down his throat. Finishing his second drink, he quickly grabbed three more that someone had set on a table nearby before going to retrieve some food. "Never leave a drink unattended," he smirked, as he started on his third.

His mind was already starting to feel at peace, and he soon found he was able to enjoy himself, slightly, by simply people watching. He found people interesting as of late, especially their eyes. He concluded that the eyes held so many expressions, and he enjoyed watching as people would act one way, while their eyes would tell a completely different story. He couldn't help but laugh as he watched a group of girls hug each other as if they hadn't seen each other in years. The blonde girl on the left seemed genuine enough, but the girl on the right seemed like she was about to hex the blonde girl to the next galaxy. "Cheating boyfriend," he bet himself.

He took another drink from his glass as he scanned the area, trying to find another target to observe. He quickly doubled back as he found Hermione standing with Professor McGonagall and the Minister of Magic. _Kingly Shinglebutt or whatever the man's name is,_ Draco tried to recall half-heartedly. He noticed Granger's brow begin to furrow, and her eyes fill with concern. He followed her as she walked back to her friends, a million questions running across her eyes. Of course, there was a small argument followed by lots of hugs. Harry Potter to the rescue once again. Draco took another drink, turning his attention elsewhere.

Eventually finding the people rather boring, Draco started stacking his empty cups into a pyramid using his wand. He then transfigured the napkins into small soldier like figures, ordering them to climb his new statue. As they reached the top, he would have them march down the other side, creating a looping chain. He watched his soldiers march up and down for about five minutes, mesmerized by the pattern, until he felt something shove him back.

He shot to his feet, but kept his wand at his side as he took in who was standing in front of him. A smirk fell on his face as he took in the red hair and freckles that were attempting to glare holes into his face. He noticed he didn't seem to have his usual entourage this time. "Come to eat some more slugs have you?"

"What are you doing here, ferret," Ron spat.

Draco laughed a little at the childhood nickname as he fell back into his chair. "To get drunk off my arse, what does it look like weasel?"

Ron's face grew red as he grabbed Draco's collar, only resulting in one of the man's eyebrows to rise. "You don't belong here, Malfoy, people are here to respect the dead, and you. You come here to mock them?" Ron glared.

Draco rose to his feet again, brushing away Ron's grasp. "I don't have to answer why I am here, especially not to you," Draco sneered, "now piss off won't you."

Ron crossed his arms, planting his feet firmly in place. "Why should I? I belong here."

"Fine," Draco growled as he brushed by his old childhood rival. It was time for him to meet with McGonagall anyway. The sooner he found out what the crazy old bat was on about, the better.

* * *

><p>Draco sat across from the Headmistress, quickly glancing around the room at the other guests, wondering who else they were waiting for. He couldn't quite place why the Minister was there, but figured maybe it had something to do with his father, or any remaining Death Eaters that were on the run. If that were the case, he could care less. What really threw him was the sight of the hair brained Divination teacher. He eyed her curiously as he casually glanced around the room. He was amazed by all the books, and wondered what the gold stand by the desk was used for, and why there was a pile of ashes on top of it. He regretted his decision to look around the room as soon as he noticed two portraits of some of the people that haunted his days and nights. Dumbledore appeared to be asleep, as with all the other past Headmasters, however, Snape's portrait confused him. First, he was unsure why it was even there in the first place, having been the very man that had killed the previous Headmaster. Draco had heard something about Snape being a double agent, but surely that didn't suddenly discount the murder of Albus Dumbledore had it? The second strange thing about Professor Snape's portrait was that he was awake. He seemed to be still as a statue. Draco would think it wasn't a magical painting, if it weren't for the ever so faint rise and fall of the man's chest.<p>

Grabbing tight to the armrest, he impatiently turned to the Headmistress and scowled. "Who else are we bloody waiting on?" he mumbled. His question was answered by the opening of a door behind him. "No," he growled, getting to his feet, as he took in the new arrivals.

Draco started for the door, letting out a snarl when the new guests stood firmly in his way. "Get out of the way, Potter," he grumbled.

Harry glanced over to Minerva and Kingsley, a look of confusion on his face. "All due respect, what's this got to do with Malfoy?" he asked, stepping around his childhood bully to take a seat in front of the older witches and wizard.

"Everyone, will you please sit," Minerva's voice rose, as she beckoned to the three remaining former students to sit down. Draco caught Hermione's quick glance before she lifted her chin and made her way to the chairs. Draco sighed, reluctantly turning back to his seat, falling back into the chair with a thump. He could at least smirk at how uncomfortable Weasley was as he positioned himself in the remaining chair.

"Good, thank you," their old professor smiled. "Now, the Minister and I have reason to believe that there is great danger coming." The witch turned to Draco next, "Draco, do you know of anything that your aunt may have kept a secret? Even from her own family?"

Draco's eyebrow upturned as he let out a snort, "well if she kept it a secret from her family, why in bloody hell would I know?"

"What I meant was," the woman said impatiently, "is there something Voldemort may have done to protect his most loyal followers?"

Draco frowned as he leaned forward in his seat. A chill ran down his spine at the mention of his tormentor's name. "The only living _thing_ he cared about was that bloody snake," he said with venom. "What's this all got to do with frizzle and the wonder twins over here?" he asked, nodding his head to the three that sat next to him.

McGonagall looked as if she were trying to find her words when Kingsley's voice boomed, uttering the words that no one had dared to ever expect. "We have reason to believe that Bellatrix Lestrange, is alive."

The room was silent for a moment, until it was Ron that surprisingly spoke first. "No offence but you must be off your rocker! My mum killed the evil bitch in front of everyone!"

"If she is, why haven't we heard from her, it's been four years prof- Minerva, surely she would have shown herself by now. The Auror department would have definitely heard rumors by now," Harry reasoned.

Draco noticed while the two boys continued to reason the ridiculousness of the situation, Hermione however had begun to shrink into herself. Images flashed through his mind of her body convulsing on the Manor's floor as each curse hit her harder than the previous. He shut his eyes as he tried to focus on what the two idiots were arguing about now. He emitted a low growl before turning to the two twits. "Shut up! Obviously they have a reason to believe this, so let them explain you daft imbeciles," he scolded before turning back to face McGonagall.

Ron looked as if he were about to speak up, but the glare he received from the Minister himself caused him to hold his tongue.

Minerva sighed as she turned to Sybill, placing a hand on her colleague. "Now, the reason we asked you here Hermione, is a prophecy has been foretold, and we believe it to be about you and Bellatrix Lestrange. The Minister himself has been able to approve the use of the very Prophecy Record in question. All we ask is for you to hold it, and if nothing happens, we'll have to assume this may very well be a prophecy that is no longer a possibility. If the prophecy comes to light, well, I am afraid our hypothesis will be proven correct." As she spoke the Minister placed a white orb on the table in front of Hermione.

Draco glanced at the young witch, watching as her eyes began to fill with doubt. But as he saw a flicker of curiosity flash across her eyes, he tilted his head and watched as she reached for the orb, picking it up in her palm. Suddenly the orb began to glow and everyone, except Hermione it seemed, leaned forward as the familiar voice of Professor Trelawney filled the room.

"_When the sky falls on the fifth reunion, the darkest star will rule the land. The lion's heart must be devoured, to claim the power to rise again. The lion and the best lieutenant have met before with the lion defying persecution. And at the destruction of evil, the follower will lead to find her restitution. The one with the heart of the royal beast has the power to change the course of bygone days. So long as the frozen stars awaken, and set her heart ablaze."_

The room went silent, even the woman who originally gave the prophecy had a look of shock on her face. Suddenly, a small chuckle erupted from the small witch in question. Draco looked over at her, an eyebrow raised as her chuckle grew to full laughter.

Hermione wiped away a tear from her eye as she placed the orb back on the table. "I'm sorry professor. I get this a very serious situation, and you're right that it may be about Bellatrix, and again, you're right to assume it may be about me, being a Gryffindor, and the fact that on more than one occasion I may have resisted her, but if you actually expect me to believe that my life is dictated by the 'stars'," she said with an air quote, "then you must be mistaken on who I am."

Minerva McGonagall smiled at the stubbornness in her favourite student, giving the girl a small nod. "I respect that you do not believe in divination or that your life is held in the hands of fate Hermione, however, I would like to remind you of a prophecy regarding Harry here, that came to full bloom in the end."

"Yes Minerva," Granger argued, "however, I would also like to remind everyone here that it was Voldemort's choice that caused the prophecy to unfold. If he hadn't made the choice to attack Harry, then the prophecy may never have even come true. And since Bellatrix is perfectly dead, then I see no reason as to how this prophecy could possibly come true."

Draco had to hand it to her; the girl's reasoning skills were beyond exceptional. He leaned back in his seat seeing this issue as not a crucial one. Unfortunately, his blood started to curl as the Minister spoke once again.

"We never found her body," he said softly, glancing at Harry as he spoke. "While it's possible she had disintegrated, it is highly illogical, you yourself Miss Granger can see why," the man said, gesturing to the younger witch.

Draco noticed she seemed to mull the wizard's words over in her mind, chewing on her bottom lip. Suddenly something dawned on Draco as he turned back to the tall wizard, a question forming in his mind. "So what exactly does this have to do with me?"

McGonagall smiled with pity in his direction. "As one of the only living relatives of Bellatrix that had to endure her presence on a regular basis, as well as one of the only people who would willingly give up any information, we thought you may know of anything that may have been overlooked in her death."

"So basically I'm here to do the dirty work you should have done four years ago," he scoffed.

Hermione's voice piped up next, interrupting whatever it was the Headmistress was going to say. "If she really is alive, and that's a pretty big if, then we still have a year to figure this out, do we not? Assuming the mention of the fifth reunion is referring to the memorial." McGonagall, Kingsley, and even Trelawney nodded in agreement. "Good. So I have a year to figure out the prophecy, and you both," she said, turning to Ron and Harry, "have a year to figure out if it's possible for Bellatrix to still be alive." Ron looked as if he were about to speak up but stopped as Hermione raised her hand. "Please Ronald, of the three of us, who is most likely to solve the riddle?"

Draco couldn't help himself but laugh at the tone in the witch's voice and how red Weasley's face blushed. He shrugged as the three darted glares in his direction. Turning to the Minister and Headmistress he sighed, "I'm assuming you'll be in contact to see if I find anything on my aunt then?" The two nodded. "Great," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do," he drawled as he held up the bottle of firewhiskey. As he left the room, he made his way through the castle. He turned down a corridor and froze, leaning against a wall. He hit his head three times against the wall as he dreaded what this new development meant for him. A trip back to the manor. While he was doubtful about prophecies, he still knew that if anyone could find a way to escape death, it would be his Aunt. The one person he probably feared almost just as much as the Dark Lord, if not more, purely for her enjoyment of torture. At least the old skeleton would flat out kill someone that dared cross him, quick and painless. Bellatrix enjoyed watching people writhe beneath her; she enjoyed playing with her food before she ate it, so to speak. "Aunti Bella," he mocked as he turned and punched the wall. "Fuck," he winced as he shook his hand. Thankful for the bottle McGonagall had given him, he made his way out of the castle, to the nearest apparition point. He knew he would not be able to handle one more minute among those halls. With a quick swig of his new drink, he disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: By the way, I didn't just disregard Ginny and Allison or Neville. I just figured, you know, Golden Trio. Plus having all six of them plus Draco, PLUS McGonagall and Kingsley, and PLUS Trelawney all in one room, it would just be a disaster. Ps. I apologize to Kingsley Shacklebolt on Draco's behalf for the insensitive nickname. Though have to say "Kingly Shinglebutt" gave me a little chuckle, because I am 12. (Disclaimer: I'm not actually 12...)**


	6. Can't Pretend

**A/N:** First off, I'd like to say a major thank you to all you lovely people for following along to this story. Thank you to those that have reviewed, followed, favourited, and just plain read. I hope you are all enjoying the story. I'm assuming you are because I haven't received any negativity yet. Hah! But don't be afraid to offer some criticism. It's always welcomed! Second, in case you haven't noticed, I've started using song titles as the chapter titles. Sometimes the song doesn't necessarily match the chapter perfectly, but the mood of it is the mood I was in when writing each chapter, so it makes sense, at least in my head. I don't know. Let me know what you think. Third, I'm really enjoying writing in different POV but as the story moves forward, I'm thinking of switching POV while in the chapter, especially once Draco and Hermione interact more. For now, I have enough differences to write them in a full chapter, but I really don't think it would interest you if I just repeated scenes from each POV. Finally, I just want to say I'm really enjoying creating this story. So hopefully the next chapter will be up soon!

I don't own anything created by J.K. Rowling

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Five:<strong>_**Can't Pretend**_

"So what did McGonagall want to speak to you about? Is everything okay? Did I just see Malfoy leave?" Ginny asked as her husband, best friend, and brother came out from behind the Gargoyle statue. Hermione let out a snort as she shook her head and made her way to the entrance hall.

Harry placed an arm around Ginny's shoulders and placed a kiss on his wife's cheek. "I'll tell you about it later," he whispered, a nervous tone in his voice.

Ron followed behind his friends, linking arms with Allison and apologizing for leaving her for so long. "It's no problem; Neville here was quite interested to speak to. Did you know he was the one that killed Voldemort's nasty snake?" Ron rolled his eyes at his guest, biting his tongue. He had wanted to say _I know. I was there._ But if he had learned anything about girls over the years, he knew she would not take that well.

Hermione turned to face her friends with a grin, her eyebrows high to the ceiling. "I bet it was that crazy bat, trying to convince us all of her other worldly powers," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I mean seriously. I cannot believe that my choices and what happens to me is a result of fate. My position is purely from hard work and determination, not _fate,_" Hermione babbled, raising her hands above her head in frustration.

Ron leaned over to Harry and mumbled, "and stubbornness." Harry snickered.

"I heard that Ronald," Hermione scolded, glaring at her two best friends. She couldn't hold her anger for long however, a slow grin crawling on her face. She quickly sighed and wrapped her arms around her boys' necks, hugging them tight. "It is nice to know nothing has changed," she said.

The two boys returned her hug; both say simultaneously, "it never will, promise."

Hermione released her grasp and wiped away a stray tear; she couldn't recall crying, but her heart swelled as she looked at her friends. Ginny threw an arm around Hermione and they all continued their way out of the castle. "I really am sorry I haven't come around often," she spoke softly.

"Don't mention it Herms," Ginny giggled as Hermione twitched at the nickname.

"Don't call me Herms."

"Okay Herms."

As they made their way to the gates they all turned to Neville and gave him goodbye hugs before climbing back into the carriages that would take them to their apparition point. Hermione once again found herself gazing out the window, unable to help but wonder what the prophecy could have meant. Not that she believed it in, no, she could never believe in that sort of nonsense, but she was always curious. She always had to solve some new riddle. Needless to say, Hermione Granger, despite all her work with the ministry, was bored. This was also the perfect way to take her attention off of how lonely she really was. She glanced over at her friends and sighed as she watched Harry take Ginny's hand in his.

She smiled for her friends, happy that Harry had found someone to help fill the gaps in his heart. Found someone to create the family he had always longed for. She was proud of how well Harry had held up this evening. The previous year he had to give a speech, and he had actually run off the stage. No one blamed him, but she knew he blamed himself. He had truly lost so many people.

She quickly forced herself to look away to keep the tears from escaping. She turned to watch Ron and his new friend. She noticed Allison was rather pretty. Her skin was like a pearl; milky and smooth, with a hint of a shimmer. Her eyes were full of wonder; she was rather naïve, Hermione thought, not in a negative way, but in a factual way. She was almost jealous of the youthful girl, for Hermione could never undo what she had seen and lived. Magically, she could of course obliviate her memories, but that still would not fix the pain. Besides, she was proud of all she had experience. It made her feel interesting. Yes, it made her feel much older than her years, but that was hardly a new experience for her.

Hermione turned her gave back out the window and closed her eyes, letting the smell of the air fill her nose. Finally, the carriage came to a halt. The group stepped out, onto the path, and turned to each other.

"Well, it was really nice to meet you Allison," Hermione said, shaking the girl's hand. "I hope to see you around," she added with a smile, "but I'm afraid I should get a decent night's sleep tonight. I've got a busy of paperwork tomorrow." Hermione feigned a yawn as she wrapped her arms around each of her friends, bidding them goodnight.

"You know, I can ask Kingsley to…" Harry started, cut off with the wave of Hermione's hand.

"Harry, you know I won't accept the help, I'll be fine."

"Goodnight Hermione," Ginny smiled, kissing her friend on the cheek.

"Night 'Mione," Ron smiled as he returned her hug, "and don't be a stranger, or Harry and I will have to come arrest you for working too hard." Hermione laughed as she focused, getting ready to apparate.

"And Hermione," Harry said with a frown on his face, "please be careful."

Hermione gave her friend a reassuring smile before disappearing back to her home.

* * *

><p>As Hermione apparated back to her apartment, she scooped Crookshanks into her arms, nuzzling her face into his soft fur. "Sorry I was gone so long Crook, but I am certainly glad to be back." The cat purred in response and gave his tail a twitch. She let her cat down to the floor and watched as he walked over the fireplace, paced on the rug, and then curled up for an evening nap.<p>

Hermione smiled as she made her way to the washroom, deciding to draw a bath. As the tub filled, she sprinkled some salts and placed a warming charm on the water so the water would not cool once full. She slowly undressed, pulling the tie from her hair slowly, wincing as it caught in her curls. With a groan she battled with the tie for a moment, eventually slumping down onto the edge of the tub with defeat. She sat twisting the ends of her tangled hair in her fingers before she smacked her forehead with her fingers. "Witch, duh," she mumbled as she grabbed her wand. With a quick spell, her hair released the elastic, and she placed it around her wrist. When the tub was full, she turned off the taps, and slowly slipped beneath the water, relishing in the heat as her body filled with warmth. She shut her eyes and let the soothing bath salts melt into her skin and calm her nerves.

As she lay there, her mind racked over the evening. While it certainly had an interesting turn of events near the end, she thought over all it was one of the less emotional reunions. She couldn't determine whether that was due to time healing wounds, or if over time she was getting better and better at lying to herself. While she soaked, she thought of the latter half of her night, curious about what the prophecy might mean. "_When the sky falls on the fifth reunion, the darkest star will rule the land," _she muttered to herself the first line. "Okay, so obviously that means next year. Darkest star, well it says that the darkest star will rule the land. Perhaps there's going to be an eclipse?" she wondered. "I'll have to look into that," she mentally noted in her head. "_The lion's heart must be devoured, to claim the power to rise again." _This one again was rather obvious, she thought. "Obviously, if Bellatrix were alive, she'd have to kill me to be powerful," she said to herself rather nonchalant, not taking the threat very seriously. "_The lion and the best lieutenant have met before with the lion defying persecution, _again, obvious…_ And at the destruction of evil, the follower will lead to find her restitution." _The next line Hermione assumed was referring to Voldemort dying, as evil was destroyed with him, so now she would have to lead. The line that confused her were the final two, "_The one with the heart of the royal beast has the power to change the course of bygone days. So long as the frozen stars awaken, and set her heart ablaze." _Hermione repeated this in her mind several times before sinking under the water in frustration, letting her hair float about her like a mermaid. When she surfaced she said the phrase one more time, trying to work out the meaning. "Okay, so, a lion is considered a royal beast, and we've already deduced I am the lion. So it's saying I have the power to change the course of history?" she questioned. "This makes sense, but no sense whatsoever at the same time. I'm just… me," she said with the shake of her head. "What frozen stars? What are the frozen stars? A comet? But how can they awaken? How will that set my heart ablaze?" She furrowed her brows as she sunk back under the water, staying below for a minute or two, her eyes opening as she watched her hair float around her.

Hermione closed her eyes as she came above the water. She brushed off her frustrations with the fact that in her mind, this prophecy business was a load of crock, and even if there was an ounce of truth to it, she still had a whole year to figure it out. Tonight was supposed to be about relaxation, so that was what she was determined to do. Resting her head against the edge of the tub, she closed her eyes, letting herself drift off to her dreams. However, something else had been bothering her. She opened her eyes and sat up, cursing her own brain for not knowing when to just shut off. She hadn't known the question had been plaguing her mind until she had stopped focusing on everything else. "Why was Draco there?" sure, McGonagall had stated they wanted to learn more about if it were possible for Bellatrix to be alive, but Hermione's gut told her there was something more.

She crossed her arms around her knees, pulled them to her chest, and rested her head on top of her folded arms. Hermione vaguely recalled the moment they locked eyes during the moment of silence. She felt a familiarity among those eyes, and she wondered just what it was he was determined to avoid thinking about, much like she was. She thought about how she had seen him thrown from the Leaky earlier that day. He looked so frail, and broken. She had never heard a Malfoy beg before. She snorted at the thought. "Good riddance. He deserves it," she mocked half-heartedly. There was still a small part of her that felt pity for him. The part of her that wanted to heal everyone around her; everyone except herself. Shaking her head, she sighed and leaned back in the bath. "Merlin, I must have something wrong with me to be thinking of Draco Malfoy in the bath," she chuckled, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind.

Sinking back into the water she forced her mind to think of happier times. She thought briefly of the day she received her Hogwarts letter. The day she learned she truly was special. She remembered the look on her parents faces. They beamed with pride, learning their daughter had unique talents. Of course they were disappointed they would not be allowed to brag to their friends about their daughter's success, however, they were able to at least give half-truths. "Hermione has the highest marks in her year," her father exclaimed one summer at a neighbourhood barbeque. "She's going to a very prestigious boarding school in Scotland," her mother rubbed into her nosy neighbour's face one evening as the woman bragged about her son being accepted into the local private academy. A small tear fell down Hermione's face, dripping into the water, as she thought of her parents. They had been so proud of her, and now, now they feared her.

She dunked her head under the water as she thought of the last time she had seen her parents. It was during Christmas holidays, and she remembered the silence at the dinner table as she moved her turnip around her plate, shaping it into a mountain. Her father would occasionally break the silence by asking Hermione or his wife how work was going. Hermione would try to start a conversation, but her mother gave only one word answers. After dinner when her mother started to clear the table, Hermione offered to help but before she could finish her sentence her mother abruptly told her no, and said she should spend time with her father in the living room. She mentioned that he had wanted to show Hermione one of his new gadgets. Hermione remembered her father's confused look, as well as her mother's pointed one. Her father quickly stumbled over his words, claiming he had forgotten. The two sat in the living room as he started showing Hermione one of those new mobile phone devices. While she was intrigued by how far technology had advanced, she knew they were only trying to fill the silence before she had to leave. She told them that it was rather late and she still had to feed the cat. It was a lie, but if she had stayed a moment longer, she would have burst to tears. As she stood, her father placed a hand atop hers. "We do love you, Hermione," he spoke softly, concern in his eyes. Hermione nodded as she gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around his only daughter before calling to his wife. Hermione's mother came out carrying a towel, her eyes red from tears. Hermione stepped to hug her mother goodbye. Hermione's heart couldn't help but tighten as her mother hesitated before gently hugging her daughter. When Hermione arrived home that night, she dropped to the floor in her front hallway and broke down in tears. She spent the rest of her Christmas day like that, holding onto Crookshanks and letting her emotions overrule her for once.

Hermione dropped even lower into the water, letting her tears mix with the bath, so she could pretend they had never appeared in the first place. Hermione hated feeling this way, especially when she knew her friends had worse. Ron and Ginny had lost their brother, Teddy, his parents, and Harry, her heart ached. Harry had lost so much. Who had she really lost? She felt as if she was losing her parents, but she knew she wasn't. They were still alive. While she knew she could never blame herself for their reactions, because if she hadn't done what she had done, they surely wouldn't be here today, but she couldn't help but think that if it weren't for this war, her parents would no longer be afraid of her. Again, she mentally berated herself for being so selfish. It was no wonder she was alone, she thought, she didn't deserve to be happy. Not until everyone she loved had reached their happiness first.

Hermione sat up and had to force herself out of the comfort of the bath, but she couldn't sit there anymore. She needed something to distract her from her thoughts, for they were starting to become dangerous. She drained the tub, wrapped herself in her robe, and made her way to her bedroom. With her wand, she put her clothes away and conjured her pajamas. When she was dressed she sat on the floor in front of her bookcase, browsing the titles she had in her room. She briefly considered reading _Winter's Tale_, the play her namesake originated, but ultimately decided on _The Secret Garden_. Picking up her book, she wiggled her way under her covers, smiling as her cat jumped up and curled on the pillow beside her. She stroked his head, and closed her eyes as he purred beneath her hand. She turned back to her book and started to read the novel that had got her through many school years before she received her letter.

About halfway through the novel, she sighed at the sleeping cat beside her. She placed a marker in the pages, and folded the book on her nightstand. Slowly climbing out of bed, she put her slippers on her feet and made her way from her room to her kitchen. While there she made herself a cup of tea and sat silently at her small round kitchen table, just as she had earlier that day. With a glance at the clock she noticed it was about 11 at night. With a sigh she took a sip of her tea, silently wishing she had something a bit stronger to ease her mind.

Hermione carried her tea back to her room, shuffling her feet along the floor. She knew she should have taken some dreamless sleep potion tonight, fearing her nightmares would come back in full force, but it was too late at night and she couldn't risk sleeping through her alarm the next day. Instead, she gathered up whatever remaining Gryffindor courage she had, and tucked herself into her bed. Before turning off her light, she read a couple more chapters of her book as she finished her tea. Once her cup was empty, she put the book down, turned off her light, and tucked herself far under her covers, her hand gently stroking her feline companion to help relax her mind.

* * *

><p><em>Hermione's breath hitched as she felt the witch drag her to the middle of the room. She couldn't help but wince as she felt the woman's nails dig into the back of her neck, forcing her head about an inch from the Sword of Gryffindor. "Where did you get this you little Mudblood? Did you enter my vault?" the woman's voice pierced through her ears, causing a chill to run down her spine. <em>

"_We found it, I swear," Hermione shouted, trying to pull herself from Bellatrix's grip. She fell to the ground suddenly, here body convulsing and contorting to shapes she hadn't known existed until then. She fought back her scream, knowing that was what the evil woman was searching for. When the pain stopped, Hermione breathed deeply, her eyes wildly searching for something, anything. Her search was cut short as she felt the pain course through her body once more. She oddly wondered if this was akin to being electrocuted. When the pain dissolved, she knew instantly she would take electrocution over this torture any day. Hermione searched again, this time her eyes locking with her tormentor. She glared defiantly at the hollow eyes, maintaining eye contact even as another curse hit her, this time square in the chest. She could hear noises, most likely the other's speaking to each other, but the only distinct sound she could hear was the cackle from Bellatrix Lestrange's crooked grin. _

_As this curse ended, the witch asked her once again where she found the sword. Even if Hermione had an answer, she couldn't give one; she was in too much pain to find her voice. She briefly wondered if she had lost her voice, however she soon found it again as a fourth curse hit her chest. She finally let out a blood curling scream that made Bellatrix's eyes light up. Hermione didn't care any longer. She cried out to her parents, she cried out to her friends, she even cried out to the Malfoy's to end her pain. She was sure she felt her bones crack as her body twisted and writhed on the floor. Soon, her eyes felt heavy, and she started to welcome death, but as soon as she had given up, the pain stopped._

_Hermione slowly opened her eyes just in time to see Bellatrix hover over her. The witch licked her lips as she straddled Hermione's limp body. "I'm going to give you what you deserve deary," she snarled with her head tilted to the right. Hermione glanced to the woman's hand and waited for the end she was searching for. It wasn't until she felt a sharp pain in her arm that she realised her end was not there. Each carving caused Hermione to scream and plead for it all to stop. Finally, the witch stood to admire her handiwork, not before kicking Hermione in the ribs. Hermione clutched her side as she rolled over, instantly vomiting onto the floor beneath her. With what little strength she had, she lifted her head to see what was no etched into her arm. "Mudblood," she cried, her tears shaking every part of her. Her eyes slowly closed as she watched the blood spill around her, finally welcoming death._

Hermione woke with a start, clutching at her arm, her face damp with fresh tears. She glanced down to see her cat sitting on her thighs, his face full of concern for his master. "It was only a dream," she whispered to Crookshanks, knowing it was more than that, but unwilling to admit it to herself.

Hermione glanced down at her arm, tracing each letter still scarred along her arm. She had learned the hard way that this was a scar that would not disappear easily. Bellatrix must have bewitched the knife she had used, not to mention the cut ran rather deep to begin with, to ensure this scar would last her entire life. She had once researched a way of removing it, but she couldn't bring herself to it. It was a piece of her now, much like her bushy hair, a constant reminder of who she was and what she had faced. Or at least, that's what she told herself and others. In reality, she had tried, and failed, to remove it. Believing her magic to no longer be strong enough, she truthfully thought that word must have held some truth, but that is something that she would never admit. Not even to herself, or her cat.

Throwing the covers off her, receiving a scowl from her furry friend, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. When she returned she checked the time, noticing her alarm wouldn't go off for another two hours. Deciding she wasn't going to get any more sleep, she opened her book, and began to read until it was time for her to get ready for work. She already knew today was going to be a long day. Every day seemed that way lately.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Don't forget to read and review! Next chapter should be up later today, or early tomorrow. Depends how tired I am. xx**


	7. Wicked Game

**A/N:** Woah ho ho! Another update so soon? You're very welcome indeed! Lol, anyway, yeah so Chapter six... let's see what happens now...

Also: I don't own anything written by J.K. Rowling

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Six:<strong> _**Wicked Game**_

**Draco's POV**

Draco groaned as he rolled onto his side, cursing under his breath as he hit the floor. Rolling onto his back, he blinked his eyes open to see his ceiling spinning. Big mistake, he thought as he turned to his side and vomited. He frowned as he tried to remember the previous night, shutting his eyes as he determined it impossible. Finally finding the strength to sit up, he slowly opened his eyes and noticed he must have fallen asleep on the sofa when he came in that night. With his wand, he cleaned up his mess, and stumbled back to the sofa, resting his feet on the small table in front of it. When he went to check the time, he cursed under his breath when he saw he had slept past noon. He supposed he would just have to put his job search on hold until next week. Besides, he was pretty sure the family fortune could hold out for the rest of this week.

Briefly he wondered what day it was. He glanced down at the table and noticed a stack of mail, along with several long scratch marks along the table beside it. No doubt an angry owl that had yet to receive a treat. He picked up the pile and casually flipped through each piece. He frowned as he checked the dates. "May eighth?" he wondered, trying to remember his week. The last thing he could recall was going to that dreadful memorial. He smirked at the recollection of his little gift however. He couldn't help but chuckle. He was impressed. What started off as a very dry night, he had managed to surpass all the other years combine. Never before had he been black-out drunk for an entire week; he would have to write a small thank-you note to his old Professor.

Draco frowned at the recollection of Professor McGonagall. He had a feeling in his stomach that told him something happened that night that he would most definitely not like. He ran to the kitchen sink to relieve himself of that feeling. Unfortunately for him, while he no longer felt sick, his stomach still felt as if there were a brick inside it. He briefly remembered speaking with a red headed twat as well. His eyes opened wide then. Quickly scrambling through his mail, he scanned each letter for the names he had hoped would not be there. For if they weren't there, his memories were merely just a drunken dream.

His hollow heart sank as he found two letters addressed to him. One letter was from the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the other from the Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. He opened both letters, briefly scanning each. He let them fall to the floor and placed his head in his hands. It wasn't so much the thought of his Aunt being alive that bothered him, well yes, it did bother him, but he doubted it would be true, but the thought that he would most likely need to pay a visit to his father dearest. Today. He knew both Kingsley and McGonagall would not stop pestering him until they received some kind of answer.

"Fuck," he swore, picking himself up to his feet. With a quick shower and change, he grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. "Malfoy Manor," he muttered for the first time in months, and was whisked away.

Draco stepped out of the grandiose fireplace he had grown to loathe over the years and brushed the ash from his clothes. "Father?" he called, not wanting to waste any further time than was necessary. He folded his hands behind his back, his hands in fists to help reign in his anger as he heard the familiar click of his father's cane.

"What is it boy?" he heard the familiar drawl first before his father's face appeared out of the corridor.

Draco held out his arms as if to embrace his father, but did not step closer. "What? A son cannot visit his father without reason?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not a Malfoy son," his father drawled, clearly already bored with this conversation.

Draco seethed as he watched his father glide across the room to sit in the chair by the fire.

"Are you going to sit?"

Draco sat, his hands curling to fists once again.

"Now tell me my son, why are you here?" Lucius questioned, folding his hands on his knees.

"I am no son of yours," Draco spat.

Lucius only clicked his teeth in disapproval.

Draco sighed, crossing one leg over the other to mirror the elder Malfoy. He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and watched his father curiously. He stared into his father's eyes for any show of emotion, but they were blank; devoid of any sign of caring for his son before him. "I know you don't care for me, but did you at least care for her?" Draco asked softly, a hint of a snarl in his voice.

Lucius continued to stare blankly at Draco, he even dared to raise an eyebrow in question.

"Don't," Draco warned, "you know perfectly well what I'm speaking about. You sit there, presenting yourself as if you were a king. You act as if you have done no wrong. You act as if you deserve people to praise you. But let me tell you, you should rot in Azkaban. I don't understand why Potter spoke on your behalf, but if I ever find out why, you bet your arse he's going to pay for it. Look at me!" Draco screamed.

Lucius watched his son for a moment before sighing. "Are you done?" was all he was able to say. He was about to stand and leave when he felt something push him back. He looked to his son to see him standing, his wand pointed in his direction.

"No. You do not get to leave," Draco growled. "You're going to sit there and listen to me. I did not come here for this reason, but I think we are long overdue for some father son _bonding_." Draco flicked his wand, locking the door, and sat down across from the monster.

"Your wordless magic is getting much better," Lucius commended.

"Shut up! You're going to shut up and sit there and listen. When I ask you a question, only then you can speak! First question, did you care for her?" Draco yelled.

"Your mother? Of course I did."

"Cared for her so much that you couldn't bear to let her live?"

"Is that what you think?" Lucius laughed.

"Answer the question."

"Look, I said I _did_ care for her. But that changed when, well, when such a disappointment was born," his father calmly said.

Draco fumed, raising his wand again at his father.

"Do not raise your wand at me, boy," he spat, rising to his feet.

Draco smirked, keeping his wand firmly pointed at his father's chest. "Or what? Not so strong without your wand, are you father?"

"You would do well to remember I do not need a wand to show you discipline," Lucius threatened, taking a step closer to Draco.

Draco fired a spell, causing his father to fall back into the chair. He quickly tied him with ropes before sitting down.

"I'm done this little game Draco, why are you here?" Lucius growled.

Draco shook his head and got to his feet. "None of your concern, now if I find what I came here for, then maybe I'll release you before I go; if not, then well, good luck to you," Draco nodded to his father as he left the large room.

Draco made his way up two flights of stairs, and turned two corners before he stopped at the room he was looking for. During the times his Aunt was staying at the Manor, she had left behind a few possessions. Many were no doubt dark objects, which almost all were taken away by the ministry, but he was sure whatever he was looking for would be among what remained.

He opened the door and groaned at the boxes, crates, and piles of a wide range of objects. It was reminiscent of the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. With the memory of that room, a brief image of his friend falling to his death flashed across his eyes. He sat in a chair that he knew had belonged to his mother and closed his eyes, letting his mind gather his thoughts before he began his hopeless search. He could remember her rocking back and forth in this chair, his younger self bouncing on her lap. He remembered her sitting in this chair when he received his Hogwarts letter, bright smile lighting up her face as she watched her only son dance with glee. He also remembered the scolding his father had given him. "Malfoy's don't dance," he growled at his son. He remembered the tears that fell down his mother's face as she watched her eleven year old boy get dragged to his father's study for his daily 'discipline'. He remembered his mother cry in this chair as she held her newborn child. Dead only a day old. She had killed her own child, not wanting her daughter to live in a household of hate. He remembered her face of stone from that day on.

A small tear rolled down his cheek as he pushed himself away from the rocking chair and took a seat next to a small stack of books. His mother's books. He traced his hand along the cover of the top book. He shut his eyes and recalled his mother's voice, reading him to at night when he was a child. He also remembered his father telling him when he was eight years old he was too old for stories. That night, the stories stopped, and his training began. He remembered her voice as she told him to run; she told him he did not need to take the mark, he could run. As long as he was safe, she said, she would be fine. He remembered the tears in her eyes as he told her not to be weak. A Malfoy is never weak. He remembered her voice call him back to her during the battle. The love and worry stained her voice as he made the walk across the courtyard. Draco trembled as he remembered her last words to him three years ago. "Find happiness, my Draco, find peace," she whispered as she took her last breath. He remembered crying for three days. He remembered his father's cane strike across his back every time he cried. When he was four and accidentally dropped his favourite dragon toy in the fire was the first time he saw what the use of the cane was truly for. But the day that man had killed his mother, that was the last time Draco let the man he once called father to ever lay a hand on him again.

In a fit of rage, Draco picked up the book and threw it across the room. He almost threw another when he watched the first book seem to disappear into thin air. Curious, Draco walked over to where he thought the novel had disappeared. He waved his wand for any dangerous magic. When he found none, he stuck out his hand, only to pull it straight back when he watched it disappear, almost behind a barrier. He stuck his arm through again, slowly reaching in further and further until he stepped through to the other side. What he saw made him gasp, and Malfoy's never gasped.

There were piles and piles of various treasures and objects he was sure had a few curses upon them. He doubted the Aurors had found this secret section of the room. As he walked around the room, careful to touch anything until he tested it for dark magic, he came across an old black, leather bound, book. He picked it up and dusted it off. Opening the first page, he grimaced as he realised what he had discovered. He walked back to the other side of the room to his mother's chair, sat down and read his Aunt's Diary.

* * *

><p><strong>Hermione's POV<strong>

Hermione let out a disgruntled sigh as she stared at the papers on her desk. She still had a week to finish her proposal for a fair and ethical union for House Elves, but in typical Hermione fashion, her work wasn't good enough until she'd worked herself to the bone. She sighed as she placed her head on her desk, trying to think of a way rephrase her conclusion. She needed to find the right words to say to truly drive her point home to the potential sponsors. She was grateful enough to Kingsley for granting her permission to continue her work for S.P.E.W, but unless she could get the support from the community, her project was pointless.

On top of all that, she had her other duties as well. Earlier in the week she had received a notice from the Centaur Liaison Office that a centaur, for the first time ever, had come into the office, but had requested Hermione by name. She soon recognized the centaur as Firenze. She warmly greeted him, agreeing to meet with him. He merely came to say that there has been some unrest among the centaur community. While the human-centaur relationship greatly improved after the war, as of late, there has been cause for the centaurs to believe that the seasons would soon change. He could sense it himself in the stars. She kindly told him that she would have someone come by and search the Forbidden Forest. So far, they hadn't found anything, but the centaurs grew more anxious as the days went by. This only further added to her already large headache.

She leaned back in her chair and read through her proposal and speech one more time as her stomach growled. She knew she should take time to get some lunch, but she had so much work to get done. She was in the middle of correcting a sentence when there was a knock at the door. "Come in," she called. She didn't have to look up to know it was Harry and Ron standing in front of her. "Close the door please," she sighed as she furiously finished her corrections. Chewing on the end of her quill she read through her correction and gave a satisfied nod before placing it on her desk.

"Gee 'Mione, you really need to take a rest," Ron laughed, tugging on a fly-away hair from her head.

Hermione swatted Ron's hand away and glared at her friend. "What I need is to get this finished," she growled.

"She needs to eat. She's always angry when she hasn't eaten," Harry said to Ron.

"She's always angry," Ron replied with a smirk.

"Well then maybe we should keep her eating. At least then her mouth will be too full to snap at us," Harry said with a grin.

"Will you two imbeciles shut up?" Hermione yelled, but her growing smile gave her away.

"Aw come on Hermi-own-ninny," Ron laughed as she cringed at her former nickname.

Harry laughed as he sat on the edge of his friend's desk. He picked up one of her parchments, looked it over and put it back down. "Nice work Hermione, you'll knock 'em dead I'm sure!"

Hermione gave a doubtful sigh, but was grateful for the support regardless. "You two are both coming, correct?"

"To the meeting or the fundraiser?" Ron asked nervously.

"Both," Hermione said, shocked there would be any other option.

Harry looked at Hermione and smiled. "Well, I'm sorry Hermione, but next week Ron and I are being sent away for a week long training session. I don't think we'll be allowed to come back in time for the meeting. But we'll definitely be there for the fundraiser, we promise," he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Ron grinned. "Er—when is it again?"

Hermione punched Ron's shoulder and laughed. "It's not for three months. You've got time," she sighed. She was disappointed, but she knew at least they'd be there for important part. After all, it wasn't exactly formal to have guests attend the meeting. She just wanted them there for moral support. "And that's okay, as long as you help me set up for the fundraiser," she frowned, knowing how to pull on her friend's guilty conscious'.

The two boys looked at each other and shrugged dejectedly. "Whatever you say 'Mione."

"Great," she said with a cat-like grin. "Now why was it you interrupted my busy schedule for? Was it just for lunch, or was there another reason?"

Harry was the first to speak, "well, a bit of both actually, but first lunch?"

"Well I brought a lunch," Hermione said as she pulled a sandwich from her beaded bag. Harry and Ron laughed, pulling out sandwiches of their own from their bags. "Very well then, what's second on our lunch agenda?" she asked, taking a rather large bite out of her sandwich.

The boys conjured two chairs and sat down across from their friend. "Well," Ron spoke, his mouth full of bread, "we wa wurin 'f ye go-"

"Swallow first Ronald," Hermione scolded.

With a gulp Ron blushed. "Sorry. As I was saying, we were wondering if you got anywhere regarding the prophecy."

"What pro- oh right, wow. I completely forgot. I thought about it the first night, but I've been so busy with work lately that I just-" Hermione started to rationalize.

"It's okay," Harry laughed. "How far did you get the other night then?"

Hermione groaned, "Well, I figured out almost everything except the last two lines really. I have no idea what frozen stars are, and what it has to do with my heart. I had planned on doing some research, but as you can see," she gestured to her desk, "I've had my hands a little full. Have you found anything on Bellatrix?"

Ron shook his head as Harry answered, "not yet, but we haven't had much time either. I mean, it's only been a week. Plus, there's a good chance we'll find nothing, because she's, well, dead."

"But don't worry, we'll figure it out Hermione," Ron added, attempting to console his friend.

Hermione only shrugged it off. "It's no matter anyway, I'm sure it's nothing. I just don't like having a puzzle I can't solve," she mumbled, suddenly notice something interesting under her fingernails.

Ron and Harry both laughed in agreement.

The three friends continued to enjoy their sandwiches, catching up on their weeks. Hermione laughed and gasped at all the right places as the two recalled their Auror adventures of the week. Her heart started to ache as Ron spoke about helping George around the shop on the weekend. It had been a rough weekend for his brother, so Ron essentially ran the shop the entire weekend. He spoke about how he's thinking once things start to die down as an Auror; he might help George out full time. Hermione and Harry both thought it was a great idea, and very mature of Ron to offer his support to his brother. She couldn't imagine losing a sibling, let alone a twin.

Harry mentioned quietly that he's thinking of writing a story for Teddy to read all about his brave parents. He even said he would throw in the parts about Andromeda's family, and Lupin's role as a Marauder. Hermione smiled at both of her friends, proud they were both trying their best to mend their families. She couldn't help the pang of jealousy, but knew she shouldn't feel jealous. As she looked at her two friends she reminded herself that they were just as much her family as her own flesh and blood, if not more so. Hermione was about to tell them so when there was a sudden burst through the door.

The three friends all stood and pointed their wands, shocked to see Malfoy standing in front of them swaying, a small black book in his hands. He looked between the three of him, his eyes landing on Hermione's last as he sputtered one word before collapsing to the ground.

"Animagus"

* * *

><p><strong>Did anyone see that coming? Be honest? I thought some might. Anyway, you won't know exactly how she did it, but for now, you'll just have to enjoy some drunk Draco and friends! lol Next chapter might be up later. I need to go to sleep. Goodnight xx<strong>


	8. Looking For Something

**A/N:** Woah, this is the longest chapter yet... I had a lot of fun writing this one, especially the last half. I think in the next chapter I'll cover more about how/why Bellatrix became an animagus... but as well you're going to see more of what our characters actually do for a living. They can't just run around saving the world all day, they do have bills to pay. But yeah, enjoy :)

I don't own anything made by J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Seven:<strong>_** Looking For Something**_

The trio sat in their chairs and blinked as they watched the inebriated Draco Malfoy stumble into the room. Hermione could hardly believe what he had said, but sure enough he had said it. According to Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange was an unregistered animagus.

"And why should we trust you," Ron spat.

Draco looked up to the red head and grumbled, "here, just read it." Draco tossed the diary across the room, it landing just before Ron's feet.

The wizard stared at the small book and then glanced at Harry who shrugged in return, neither wanting to touch the book, fearing it may be cursed. Suddenly the book was levitating off the floor and the two turned to see Hermione standing with her wand out.

"Bloody hell you two, just give it to me," she groaned, catching the book as she levitated just above her lap. Harry and Ron both jumped to their feet, ready to tackle their friend away from whatever curse was sure to hit her, but froze when nothing happened. "Honestly, you'd think I didn't know how to bloody well take care of myself," she mumbled with a roll of her eyes. The two boys sat back in their chairs, confusion flashing across their faces when Hermione conjured a fourth chair beside her. "Malfoy? Are you going to sit and explain to us what you found? Or would you prefer the floor?" she questioned the blonde wizard who now looked inquisitively in her direction. He rose to his feet and crossed the distance to the chair, a small nod to the three before sitting down. "Good, now let's see," she said as she flipped through the book. Several times Hermione would get immersed into the pages of Bellatrix's writings, learning a bit more about the witch's childhood word by word. It wasn't until Draco snatched the book from her hands that she came back to the present.

"Fuck Granger, just let me find it for you," he growled, flipping through the pages quickly, stopping at a particular journal entry. He slammed the book on the desk and pointed at the page in question. "There," he muttered, sitting back in his chair as Hermione picked the book back up.

The witch glanced at the pages, her eyes widening as she scanned each word. She put the book on the table and covered her mouth with her hand in shock. Harry instantly picked the book up and began to read the page.

Ron looked at both his friends. "What is it?" he asked nervously.

Harry looked up from the pages with a remorseful look on his face. "Malfoy's right," he gasped.

"Now that wasn't so hard to say, was it Potter?" Malfoy drawled with a small grin on his face.

Hermione had a brief moment of panic, but quickly masked her fear with a look of determination. She picked up a stack of papers from her desk and tapped them against the table to make a neat pile in the corner. "Right, well, even if she's an animagus, there's absolutely no way she could have heard the prophecy anyway, so this entire thing is still preposterous. If anything, she's probably off in hiding in her animal form, knowing perfectly well if she ever becomes human again, she will most definitely be dead, or worse, sent to Azkaban."

Ron was about to disagree but was surprised when Malfoy interrupted instead.

"You're missing the point," he growled. "In no way can this end well. She was the bastard's second in command. Prophecy or not, she will come. And guesses are, you lot will be one of her main targets." Draco got to his feet, slamming his fists on the table. "If she doesn't come for me first that is."

"Why would she come fo-" Harry started.

"Shut up, that's why!" Draco drunkenly pointed at Potter. "You, you, oh fuck it all," he yelled, raising his hands above his head in defeat. "We're dead," he laughed. "She's going to kill me, and I'm spending my last few days with these twats," he said to himself as he made his way to the door. He stopped, refusing to turn around, but muttered a small warning to Hermione. "If I were you, I'd start believing in prophecies Granger, because the only hope I see is if you figure out whatever it is that's going to give you the power to defeat her."

The three watched as the blonde man left Hermione's office, slamming the door behind him.

"Well that was," Harry started.

"Strange?" Ron asked.

"Interesting," Hermione answered.

Hermione glanced back down to the small black book on her desk before standing to her feet and heading to the door. She turned back to her friends and glared daggers to them as she waved her hands. "I'm taking this to Kingsley, are you coming or are you going to sit there with your hands up your arses?"

The two were taken aback by their frizzy haired friend cursing so much lately, but they both knew better than to mention anything when she was in her current state. Instead, they scurried over beside her and followed her lead straight to the Minister's office. When they arrived, the Minister seemed to be just returning from his lunch break. The man smiled at the three and waved them to follow him into his office.

As he sat behind his desk, he folded his hands under the chin and asked his guests to sit. When they finally sat, he noticed they all looked rather nervous. "What might this be about?" he asked.

"Well sir," Harry started. "Draco Malfoy came to us with this journal, or diary, today. And according to this, Bellatrix was, or is, an animagus," he explained, stumbling a bit over his phrasing.

Kingsley let out a low sigh and looked at Hermione who held the book in her hands. "May I?" he asked. She nodded and handed the small book to him. He spent a moment reading over the same page she had read many times already. Gently placing the book on the table he looked back to his guests and cast a silencing charm on the room. "Are we the only ones that know about this?"

Hermione nodded before adding, "and Draco Malfoy."

"Very well, I'll inform Minerva right now." The trio watched as Kingsley sent off his silver patronus, relaying the message he wished to send along with it. "Do not tell anyone else of this, understand? We've just reached a point of peace, and we do not need a riot on our hands." The three friends nodded, earning a smile from the Minister. "Good. And from what I understand of Mr. Malfoy's situation, this is not something he will spread either," he added. "Hermione, may I ask on your progress of the prophecy?"

She gave a small shrug. "I have most of it understood, but I need to a bit more research. I've just been so swamped with work lately, I haven't had much time, but I'll get straight to it," she rambled.

Kingsley raised his hand with a soft smile. "You work too much Miss Granger. You all do. How about you take the rest of the day off, and Hermione you can have tomorrow off as well if you like. You can spend your time however you like, but I highly recommend you all use it to relax. Then next week you can refocus. Hermione, you may go finish up and leave for the day, Harry and Ron could you stay for a moment to discuss next week's training? Then you both may leave for the day as well."

"May I take the journal with me?" she politely requested, smiling as he held it out to her. "Thanks!" Hermione nodded to the wizard and gave each of her friends a quick hug before running back to her own office. She hadn't really wanted the time off, with all the work that needed to be done, but she knew she would be scolded if Kingsley saw her there so she decided she could manage to get a bit of work done from home. With a smile she quickly gathered whatever she needed to work from home with and made her way to the fireplaces.

* * *

><p>Hermione grunted as she crumpled up yet another piece of parchment and threw it across the table. Crookshanks leaped on top of it as it fell to the floor. She placed her hands in her hair and let out a scream of frustration. "None of it makes any sense, why would anyone agree to this proposal? It's crap!" She felt something soft brush against her legs and sighed, bending over to pick up her cat. "It has to be perfect Crookshanks, or I'll never get approval."<p>

The cat meowed in response.

"I know not everyone is perfect, but that doesn't mean I can't try to be," she replied with a sigh.

Crookshanks let out another quick meow, this time staring up at her owner with condescending eyes.

"Don't give me that. I get enough of that from Harry and Ron, and even the Minister for Merlin's sake. There is nothing wrong with a little hard work," she argued.

The cat leaped from her arms, giving her a quick yowl of disappointment. She was about to reprimand him when he traipsed over to his food dish and nudged it with his nose, giving another annoyed meow to his owner.

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "I'm arguing with a cat," she laughed in disbelief. "Maybe they are right, I need a break."

When Crookshanks meowed again, this time clearly irritated, she got up to her feet and made her way to the cupboard she keeps his food. "Yes, yes, I know, you're hungry," she sighed as she poured the food into his dish. She picked up his water dish and quickly refilled it with fresh water as well.

Hermione's stomach let out a low rumble. She looked up to her clock and realised it was well past a decent dinner hour. "Crook, I think I'm going to get a quick bite down the street, watch the house," she commanded as she grabbed her jacket and made her way to the door.

As she walked along the small street she looked from shop to shop to find a place to get a decent meal. She briefly considered a small café on beside her favourite book shop, but decided to try the new pub on the corner instead. She had overheard that they had rather good food, and relatively priced drinks. It wasn't a frequent thing for Hermione to drink alcohol, but after today, she knew she would need something to calm her nerves.

She looked both ways before quickly crossing the street to the corner pub. As she entered, she found it was fairly busy for a Thursday night, but the outfits of some of the muggles led her to determine they must have just finished a football match and were either celebrating their victory, or forgetting their loss. She quickly scanned for an open table, but frowned as she couldn't find one. She was about to leave when she saw a familiar flash of blonde hair sitting in the far corner of the pub. Debating on if she should leave or not, her curiosity got the better of her as she marched over to Draco Malfoy's table.

She stood beside the table, clearing her throat after he hadn't looked up for the entire minute.

"I know you're there," he drawled, "I just didn't think you'd stand there for so long."

Hermione growled as she sat in the booth across him, her arms folding over her chest. "Well I'm sorry for being polite and waiting until I was invited to sit."

"You would have sat invited or not anyway, so why bother with the formalities," he rebutted, leaning back in his seat. She couldn't help but be mesmerized by his fingers as they traced the rim of the glass. She was woken from her trance when she saw his hands wave in front of her. "Earth to Granger," he said.

"Wh-what?"

He laughed. "I said, where's Dummy one and Dummy two?"

Hermione snorted, "is that the best you can come up with." Draco shrugged. "They're probably at their homes. Why are you here?"

"Obviously stalking you," he said sarcastically. "Why do you think I'm here?" he added, holding up his drink.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know what I meant. This is a muggle pub you know?"

Draco could only laugh. He took another sip of his drink before waving the waitress over. "Could you get my friend here a drink, she's got an enormously large stick up her arse most of the time, so make it something strong."

"I do not have a stick up my-" Hermione's face turned red as Draco placed a hand over her mouth.

"You'll thank me for this later Granger," he mumbled, bringing his hand back to the table. He turned his attention back to the waitress and handed her some muggle money. "Bring me another one of these as well," he said with a wink. The waitress blushed as she made her way back to the bar to order their drinks.

"Friend?" Hermione asked doubtfully.

"Well, I couldn't exactly say mortal enemy, that would just make me look like an arse," he explained.

"I don't see the difference really," she mumbled.

The waitress brought back their drinks, flashing Draco a bright smile, blushing as he returned the smile. Hermione thanked the girl and took her drink, wincing as she took a sip.

"Merlin, what's in this?" she coughed.

"Can't handle it Granger?" Draco laughed.

Hermione frowned, taking the straw out of the glass and taking a long drink from her glass. She placed it back on the table, the glass now only half empty. _Or half full,_ she joked to herself.

"Have to say I'm impressed Granger," he muttered.

"Was that so hard to say?" she mocked, earning a small laugh from the wizard across from her. "But seriously Malfoy, why are you here? Why not go to a wizard pub with your friends?"

At the mention of friends, Draco hesitated briefly, deciding instead to answer only part of her question, with a question of his own. "I could ask you the same thing," he suggested, taking a sip from his new drink.

"I live around here, and my friends are probably busy," Hermione answered.

"Well, there you go," he nodded in response.

Hermione frowned at the thought before it hit her. "You live nearby?" When Malfoy nodded she couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously? No giant mansion? With Muggles?"

"I don't see what's so funny Granger," he drawled, becoming irritated with her amusement.

"It's nothing," she smiled, "you just surprise me sometimes." Hermione took another long sip of her drink, replacing the straw in the glass. She knew she probably shouldn't be here, not with him. And she knew what this would look like to anyone who bothered to pay attention, but the rumble in her stomach told her to ignore those thoughts for a moment and focus on more important things, like eating. "I'm starving," she sighed, looking around for their waitress.

Draco waved his hand, and instantly the waitress came by their side. Hermione glared at the wizard, only becoming more annoyed as he smirked in return. "Could you please put an order in for a plate of chips and gravy with cheese for myself, and for my friend," he paused as he glanced at Hermione, seeming to calculate something in his head, "for my friend, could you bring your best deluxe grilled cheese sandwich? Thank you."

"How'd you know?" Hermione glared.

"What?" Draco asked as he took another drink.

"That grilled cheese is one of my favourites?"

Draco shrugged. "You seem like a grilled cheese type," he answered plainly.

Hermione shook her head, wondering what other surprises the night was going to bring. When the food arrived, she couldn't help but moan as she devoured her sandwich. There were three different types of cheeses, along with prosciutto and tomatoes layered within. "This is amazing," she sighed. She looked over at his plate and crinkled her nose as she watched him pick up a chip that was covered in melted cheese and gravy. "What on earth are you eating? That's like a heart attack on a plate," she said, disgusted.

"It's called a Poutine. I discovered it when mother and I travelled with father on one of his business trips to Canada when I was younger," he explained as if it were obvious. "It's delicious, try one," he said, holding out a fry to her. "Your loss," he said and put the fry in his mouth when she shook her head.

"Canada?" she asked.

"Yes, he was visiting his maple syrup company one day to make sure everything was running smoothly. His company owns the world's largest supply of maple syrup," he said. "No really, it's almost the entire supply really. If anything were to happen to it, the world would be having a serious shortage of maple syrup."

Hermione laughed. "I never expected a Malfoy to own a maple syrup company," she shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes well, father was going to sell it a few years back, trying to cut all ties with the muggle world when, well, you know. But my mother told him to sign it over to me, knowing full well that I may be interested in running the company one day, and well, she was right, how do you think I know how to use muggle currency?" Draco turned his attention back to his meal, hoping the discussion would turn away from his family.

Hermione couldn't help but notice the bitterness in his voice as he mentioned his father and the look of sorrow in his eyes at the mention of his mother. She wanted to ask him about his parents, but thought it might impolite to pry. She wondered when she had ever considered she had to be polite to Malfoy, the boy who tortured her entire time at Hogwarts. But when she looked up at the blonde wizard, she knew he was no longer a boy. Her heart seemed to sink as she took in how defeated he still looked. While he still appeared to be the same snarky git, Hermione couldn't help but wonder how much was only an act.

Attempting to fill the silence, Hermione began to speak about her own parents, unsure of where her courage was coming from. "My parents and I used to travel a bit when I was younger too. You see, they were dentists, or well, healers for your teeth, and they always had seminars in different parts of Europe. Every place we went, my father would buy me a unique flavor of ice cream when my mother wasn't around so we could say we've had ice cream in every part of the world." She couldn't stop the sigh as she finished her comment. She quickly covered her grief with another sip of her drink. As she placed her glass on the table, she noticed the waitress had arrived with another round for both of them. She assumed Draco had arranged to have their drinks topped as soon as they were finished.

"Where are they now?" Draco asked quietly. Hermione wasn't sure she heard him at first, blinking in his direction.

"Um," she stammered, looking down at her plate of food. "Well, they're at home. I don't see them much, seeing as I work for the Ministry, and they're well, muggles," she said, picking at the bread on her plate, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. She waited for Malfoy to ask more questions, but was surprised to see him seem satisfied enough with her answer.

Hermione was about to protest as she noticed Draco slightly pulled out his wand, but stopped herself as he silently cast a muffliato charm. She wondered when he had learned to use magic without words as she watched him lean forward.

"Now seriously Granger," he spoke sternly, "have you made any progress on the prophecy?"

Hermione glanced around her nervously before placing her head in her hands. "Why does everyone keep asking me that today?" she groaned.

"Because, if Bellatrix is alive, then we need to figure this thing out before she does," he answered.

"We?" she looked up at Draco.

He nodded in response before adding, "I have as much at stake as you do if she returns. My family defected during the war remember? She'll feel betrayed, and will surely come after us as well. I'm just glad mother isn't here to feel her sister's wrath."

Hermione almost missed that last part, but ignored it, instead agreeing with his earlier comments. "Unfortunately I think you're right. I just have a hard time believing that my choices in life don't matter. That no matter what, I'm destined for this," she exhaled.

Draco shook his head. "It's not a matter of you not having control over your life, if anything, the choices you make are even more crucial. You see, if you choose to ignore this prophecy, sure maybe nothing happens, but maybe something does. Maybe Bellatrix comes back, and maybe she kills you because you ignored the signs. And maybe she obtains some kind of power. And just maybe, you've doomed us all. _Or,_" he continued, "maybe you choose to fight. Maybe you choose to believe, even just a fraction. Maybe you find some kind of power within yourself to defeat her once and for all. And sure, there still is that chance that nothing will happen. But you can either choose to be prepared, or you can choose to let the entire Wizarding World, and perhaps even Muggle world, fall into the hands of a crazy, sociopathic witch. It's your choice really."

Hermione tried to argue with his logic, but she couldn't. She couldn't because she knew he was right and she hated it. She hated him. She even told him so. "I hate you."

Draco laughed, and Hermione couldn't help but smile as well. "So, how far have you gotten with the prophecy?" he asked again.

Hermione told him about each line and what she thought they might mean. She mentioned she wasn't quite sure about the "darkest star" wording. But Draco provided a quick solution, mentioning that it was a rather vague way of mentioning Bellatrix.

"You see, all Blacks are named after stars, or constellations. Bellatrix is the 'star' in question. And 'darkest' I believe is referring to her maiden name, Black," he explained.

Hermione frowned, "but that's stupid because that could refer to anyone who once held the surname Black. It could mean your mother, or Sirius, or even Andromeda for all we know."

"Yes, but other than my two Aunts, all of the potential candidates are dead. And I'm pretty sure Andromeda won't be trying to kill you anytime soon. Also, we've already determined it's about Bellatrix. She _is _the only witch you've gone head to head with multiple times is she not?" Draco asked.

Hermione scolded herself for forgetting the other aspects of the prophecy. She took the last bite of her sandwich, satisfied she had finally filled her stomach. "Okay, well, other than that, I'm really only stuck on the last two lines. I'm assuming it's saying that I hold some kind of power within me, but really, that's a bit farfetched," she said doubtfully. "The last line is also a bit ridiculous. I'm not sure what the 'frozen stars' is referring to. At first I thought maybe a comet, because they are made of mostly ice, but then they aren't exactly stars." Hermione picked up her drink and took a long sip from it, feeling her mind start to get a bit cloudy, she knew she would need to slow down to keep her mind sharp. She wasn't quite sure how Draco wasn't as drunk as he had been earlier that day, but chalked it up to some kind of potion. She knew Harry and Ron frequently took a potion on nights they knew they'd be out late.

Draco calculated in his head for a moment, but shrugged as he took a sip from his drink. "Well, I'll have a look at the library tomorrow to see if I can find any reference to frozen stars anywhere, but I haven't got a clue right now honestly," he admitted.

Hermione quickly glanced at her watch and scolded herself when she realized the time. "Why didn't you tell me it was already almost two in the morning?"

Draco only smirked in response, ducking as she threw her napkin at his head. "Somewhere to be?" he drawled, watching her stumble as she tried to stand.

"Home," she growled, trying to regain her balance. She didn't think she was that drunk, but knew sometimes people don't notice the effects until they actually try to use their legs. This was one of those moments. "I hate you," she glared.

Draco laughed, "why?"

"For getting me drunk."

"And here I thought it was because I was a, what was it, a foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach?" he grinned.

Hermione snorted. "That just about sums it up," she mumbled, reaching for her jacket.

"Well you should know that I hate you too," Draco smirked, picking up her jacket for her and holding it open.

"Yeah, yeah, because I'm a dirty mudblood," she said flippantly as she let him put her jacket on for her. She gasped as he grabbed her wrist and turned her towards him, holding her rather close to her.

"Don't call yourself that," he warned.

She pulled away, holding her wrist with her other hand. "I can bloody well call myself whatever I want, and what's it to you, that's why you hate me isn't it," Hermione couldn't help the tears that started to well up in her eyes.

Draco let out a frustrated groan. "I don't hate you because you're a muggle-born Granger," he admitted.

"Well then why do you hate me?" Hermione questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

Draco smirked at her stubbornness and walked away from her toward the door, whispering in her ear as he passed, "because you're a stubborn, bloody know-it-all."

Hermione angrily followed after him, this time grabbing his wrist and turning him to face her. "Yeah, well, I hate you because you're a spoiled smarmy git, who thinks he can always get what he wants."

"But I do always get what I want," Draco grinned. "I hate you because you always have to have the last word," he replied. Draco started to walk down the street toward, away from the pub.

"I do not," she huffed as she followed beside him. "I hate you because you think you're better than everyone else."

"I hate you because you punched me in third year, you could've damaged my perfect face," he grinned.

"I hate your stupid face," she mumbled.

Draco laughed and shook his head at her pathetic response. "Goodnight Granger," he said as apparated back to his flat in the middle of the street.

Hermione stood in a frustrated silence before she stomped her way around the corner. She knew she would have to get better insults for next time, but for now she needed to get home. Now if she could only remember where home was exactly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aw so cute. They think they hate each other... I love when characters are so naive. Anyway! Hopefully get the next one up soon! Read/Review. Cheers xx**


	9. Broken Crown

**A/N: ** Sorry for the delay, though it's only really been two days. I had a lot of Christmas shopping to do. PLUS the Doc Manager was down... and now they've changed the format of it. Whaaa? Anyway. CHRISTMAS! Can you believe it's only in a few days?! I certainly can't. I completely forgot to mail out my gifts for my boyfriend's family as well. Oy vey. Well anyway, here's the next chapter! I was going to post excerpts from Bellatrix's diary but this chapter is fairly long and I also am honestly in such a good mood, because Christmas! So I don't think I'd be able to delve deep into the twisted mind that is Bellatrix Lestrange. But I enjoyed writing this, it's interesting going into Draco's life, we see so little of it in the books. I apologize if there are things that don't exactly follow canon, (like for example in the last chapter I mentioned that Narcissa was named after stars as well, but in face she wasn't but oops. Oh well, whateva!) Anyway, here you go, chapter eight :)

PS. All character's and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling, I just like to re-imagine them.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Eight:<strong> _**Broken Crown**_

Draco awoke the next morning with a raging hangover. He groaned as he once again trudged to the bathroom and searched for his hangover potion. Unfortunately when he found the vial, he noticed there was not a drop left. "Dammit," he cursed, his hand rubbing his forehead. He scuffed his feet along the ground of his large flat towards his 'office' where he knew his cauldron would be. He briefly thought back to the time he and Blaise had invented a new potion in their fourth year at Hogwarts that would diminish the effects of a hangover greatly. They took pride in selling the potion on the side, up until Draco's sixth year, when he knew he would not have time for such trivial pursuits.

Draco cursed to himself and focused his thoughts on the ingredients of that potion so as not to think of the year that everything had gone to hell. He opened the door and made his way to his shelves of ingredients, searching for everything he would require. It was similar to a pepper-up potion, but with a few tweaks to the brewing and an added secret ingredient, a single dog hair. The potion's strengths however vary depending on type of dog used. For instance, if it is a regular, domesticated dog, the potion will be weaker, if it comes from a magical dog, such as a three-headed dog, or even a gytrash, then the potion will be much stronger. While the latter two are extremely rare, not to mention dangerous, Draco had managed to find vials and vials of hair from both of these dogs one summer while casually browsing the Malfoy family apothecary.

As Draco browsed his own private stash, he cursed as he realised he was also out of mandrake root, a key staple ingredient to the potion. He knew he could easily apparate to the apothecary that he now owned, as it was passed on to him, but he was stubborn and refused to go anywhere his father's filthy hands had touched. He knew he would just have to live with his hangover for the day. It wasn't always this way. Even after the war, Draco hadn't always hated his father the way he did. He didn't particularly feel loving towards him either, but his father had shown that he did care for his family after all when he defected during the war. That's what it seemed like at first, for a little while anyway. But after a while, Draco could see his father's sanity wither away.

Lucius seemed to blame Draco for their failure as a family. He blamed Draco for not trying hard enough to serve the Dark Lord. He also blamed Draco for not trying hard enough to fight against the Dark Lord, to clear the family name. He blamed Draco for the deterioration of the family businesses, eventually taking his anger out physically and magically on his son. It started off with a typical beating from his father's cane, which Draco was all too familiar with. But gradually it started to increase to various hexes, even the occasional Crucio. Draco often wondered why the Aurors on their case hadn't picked up on his father's obvious misuse of his wand while on house arrest. But he now chalked it up to one of two facts that either his father skillfully hid the last remnants of any spells he had used, or the Auror's really just didn't care. The abuse got to the point where Draco would be too afraid to sleep at night as he would constantly hear his father's familiar footsteps pace outside his bedroom door.

Narcissa, a loving mother, would sometimes step in to protect her son, knowing Lucius wouldn't dare hurt his wife. Lucius surprised them one day however, slapping her across the face for disrupting the disciplinary process. No matter the threats and no matter the pain, Narcissa however never used her magic against her husband. While she refused to let her son be punished, she still loved her husband enough to begin taking the brunt of his force as well, which only made Lucius angrier, blaming Draco for Narcissa being harmed. This enraged Draco so much, but he knew there was nothing to be done. After all, in Draco's mind, his father was right. It was his fault. If he had only tried harder to protect the family, then all this pain would end. They could live a normal life.

Draco crawled back to his room and threw himself under the covers, afraid of where his thoughts were drifting. His eyelids started to sink as he slipped into a deep sleep, knowing perfectly where his nightmares would lead this time around.

_Draco woke up that morning and quietly made his way to the kitchen for the last breakfast he would be having with his parents. Lucius was sitting at the head of the table; Draco's mother was sitting at his side. Draco took a seat on the other side of his father, his usual place at the table. As they ate in silence, Draco couldn't help but feel a chill through the air as his mother spoke._

"_I can't believe it's been a year," she said absentmindedly. _

"_Has it?" Lucius asked. The older Malfoy's eyebrow rose as he turned to Draco, "confirm for me Draco, how long has it been since your little friend Vincent died?"_

_Draco clinched his hands into tight fists, but knew whatever he wanted to say would not go over well. "I believe it is," he said, trying to sound as disinterested as possible. He took a bite of a piece of bacon, trying to ignore the glares his father was giving him. "Just say it," he drawled._

"_Do not speak to me like that, boy," Lucius spat as he stood from his chair. "You would do well to remember your place."_

"_And you would do well to remember that in just a few hours I can leave this place," Draco responded._

_Lucius gave a dry laugh. "You would not leave your mother here would you?"_

_Draco growled and got to his feet, leaning towards his father. "You will not harm her," he glared, pointing at his father._

_Lucius swat his son's hand away. "You will not threaten your father you insolent child, what I do in my house is my business, and you will not forget that."_

_Draco lunged at his father, pounding his fists into the man's chest. He caught Lucius jaw with a particularly well placed punch. "You will not harm her you bastard," he growled, holding his father up by the collar of his robes. _

_Draco suddenly felt himself falling back against the table as his father pushed him down against it. He couldn't help but wince as he felt a few ribs crack as they slammed against the hard surface. He got back to his feet and was about to charge his father again, when he froze as the man held out his wand, pointing it in his direction. _

"_I should have done this a long time ago," the man sneered, taking a step closer to his only child. Draco reached for his own wand, but cursed himself as he realised he left it in his room. He refused to stoop to his father's level, knowing that at the end of his year it would serve him better for the Ministry to know he had never used magic for, well almost anything really. But today, he instantly regretted his decision._

_Draco gripped the table as he felt curse after curse hit various parts of his body. He felt his soul begin to collapse, but forced himself to remain standing, refusing to give his father the satisfaction of watching his son break. Finally there was a break in the pain, and Draco caught his breath. He knew this break wouldn't last long. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain against his right arm. He looked down to see a slice across the skin. He flinched as a knife narrowly missed his other shoulder. He tried to duck out of the way as another knife flew towards his head. He glared back at his father and watched him levitate several knives at once. _

_Lucius let them hover for a while. "My poor son, grief stricken after the war, couldn't handle the guilt that built up within him," he spoke as he gave a sinister smile. Draco locked eyes with his father, refusing to look away. He knew if he was going to die, he wanted to still have his dignity. Lucius flicked his wand, sending the knives flying toward him, but Draco felt no pain. He couldn't move, frozen on the spot as he felt a weight fall against his chest. _

_He had to blink a few times to come to grips with what had happened. When he looked down, he felt panic rise to the surface as he watched his mother's eyes begin to drift. "M-mother?" he stammered, gently lowering her to the ground. "Mother, look at me," he cried, placing a hand to her cheek. _

_Narcissa looked up to her son and gave a quiet smile as she placed her hand on his knee. "Son," she sighed._

"_No," he shook his head. "Mother no."_

"_It's okay Draco, go, you have nothing to hold you here, you're free," she gasped._

"_P-please, don't go," he cried._

"_Be happy my son," she said as she lifted her hand to Draco's cheek. "I ask you one thing. Find love, be happy, but most of all, you must truly live." _

_As Draco leaned over his mother's body, he watched as her eyes, once so full of love, began to drain of all life. As he felt his mother's body fall limp, he allowed himself exactly three tears to fall before he masked his face into stone. He calmly rose to his feet and stared icily towards the man that caused this to happen, the man that dragged them all into hell. _

_Lucius stood and watched his wife's lifeless body on the ground, a knife deeply embedded into her chest. Blood pooled all around her. Draco yelled at his father, but got no response. He tried again, "look at me!" he shouted. His father's eyes shot in his direction and Draco watched the last bit of his father's soul crumble away. "You bastard! You will rot in hell for this. The Aurors will be around and they will see this, and they will know what you did, what you are. I hope you like your new cell, Lucius."_

Draco woke up, feeling his face damp with fresh tears. He recalled the rest of that day. He had been so sure that the Aurors would find what his father had done and lock him away for good, but yet again, his father somehow escaped judgement. To this day, he still had no idea how he managed to cover up his tracks this time, but according to Daily Prophet his mother was so stricken with grief over all that had taken place, and the abandonment of her only son drove her to suicide. He threw his pillow across the room and watched as it broke a mirror on the wall. Once again, his father had won. He indirectly pinned her death on Draco, only adding more weight to the pile on his conscious.

Draco climbed out of bed, glad his hangover was starting to wear thin, but only groaned as he realized the time. He had spent nearly the entire day in bed, and he had hoped to spend the rest of it there too, but his stomach suddenly had other plans. He bolted from his room and made it to the toilet just in time as he spilled his insides into the bowl. Draco really wished he still had some of that potion left. Suddenly an idea came to him. "Blaise," he muttered as he got to his feet. He performed a quick cleansing charm and made his way to the fireplace. Grabbing a pinch of floo powder, he called his old friend's address and stuck his head into the green flames.

Draco sputtered as the ash filled his mouth before shouting to his friend. "Oi, Blaise!" he shouted, trying to see if the man was in the immediate area. He could hear footsteps in the other room followed by a snicker. "Dammit Blaise, get your arse in here," he growled.

He could hear Blaise's laughter getting louder before finally seeing his friend's familiar smirk. "Well, well, if it isn't The Draco Malfoy," he drawled, bringing a chair close to the fire. "And here I thought you fell off the edge of the earth?"

"Still here mate," he grumbled, "now are you going to help me or what?"

"Tsk tsk, someone's in a mood," the other wizard laughed. "What can I do for ya mate?"

"Out of Hangover Potion and mandrake root. Got any?" he said, rather annoyed with his friend's games.

Blaise crossed his arms and couldn't help but laugh at his friend's obvious discomfort. "I do, come on over," he said as he stood to make room.

Draco stepped through the fireplace and dusted off the soot from his clothes.

"You look awful mate," Blaise commented, slapping his friend on the back.

"Still better looking than you," Draco growled.

Blaise raised his hands in defence, a grin plastered on his face. "Easy there, follow me."

Blaise led Draco through his flat to where he kept his potions. Draco noticed he had the bottles all neatly organized by colour then alphabet. It took him no more than ten seconds to find the correct one and tossed Draco's way. "Thanks," he muttered as he removed the stop and tilted the contents down his throat.

Blaise leaned against his desk and folded his arms across his chest. "Don't mention it, now why don't you tell me what's got you in this state."

"I don't think so Zabini."

"Come on Draco," Blaise sighed. "It's me. You've confessed worse, and I haven't seen you in almost a year. I think I deserve at least a hint on what you've been up to lately."

Draco glared at his friend, but couldn't keep the scowl on his face for long. "Well most of the year has been the same as always," Draco sighed. Blaise nodded in understanding. "But the last week has been, well, you wouldn't believe it if I told you."

Blaise leaned forward, his hands resting on the desk behind him. "Go on," he was intrigued. He knew while Draco's life certainly wasn't easy, it was predictable. For something new to happen was interesting. Very interesting indeed.

"I'm not sure what I'm allowed to tell, but I guess I should start with last night," Draco said, scratching the back of his head. Thanks to the potion, the memories of the day that caused him to spew well into the next evening were coming back to him. He recalled what he found in the Manor, his stumbling into the Ministry midday, and especially his interesting evening with the Golden Girl herself. He smirked as he recalled their little exchange at the end of the night. "Well for starters, guess who I had drinks with last night."

Blaise thought for a minute, not really having a single clue. He gave a small shrug and his eyes widened as Draco muttered two words he never thought he would hear. "Hermione Granger." Blaise couldn't help but laugh.

"You serious mate?" Draco nodded in response, not quite able to believe it either. "So what, like a date?"

It was Draco's turn to laugh, he was surprised to see his nose didn't crinkle in disgust as it normally would at a suggestion as outrageous as that, but he paid no mind to it. "More like a funny coincidence really," he shrugged. "We just happen to live near each other I guess. Ran into each other at the nearest muggle bar."

"And what were you doing at a muggle bar?" Blaise asked. He was surprised more and more by the conversation they were having.

"Well, it just so happens, people in the wizarding community haven't forgotten my family's involvement so aren't exactly willing to give me a drink, the arseholes." Draco explained as he leaned against the shelf.

Blaise nodded as he started to walk out of the room, Draco following behind. "So what's the little Gryffindor princess up to these days?" Blaise continued while they walked back to sitting room.

Draco shrugged, "well, I know she works for the ministry, but other than that I don't know much else."

"She still with that Weasel bloke?" Blaise asked.

Draco shook his head, "don't think so, saw him at the Hogwarts memorial service with some girl. Not sure who she was, but leave it to him to throw away the one good thing he had."

Blaise looked incredulously at his friend. "You went to the memorial?"

Draco groaned as he rolled his eyes. "McGonagall sort of tricked me into it," he said nonchalant as he sat down on the loveseat. When Blaise glanced at him waiting for more of an explanation Draco sighed deciding he should just start from the beginning. "Alright Blaise, you win. But you have to promise me, you will not tell a soul what I'm about to tell you. Got it?"

Blaise sat in the chair across from him and leaned in, folding his hands under his chin. "When have I ever given up your secrets?" he asked, pretending to be offended by Draco's accusations.

Draco rolled his eyes again, leaning back in his seat. "Okay well, McGonagall wanted me to come to the memorial, claiming she was trying to assimilate me back into society. She bribed me with Firewhiskey the old bat," Draco laughed, "you'd think she were a Slytherin. Anyway, turns out she had other pretenses for that night. Apparently there's some prophecy involving Granger, and my Aunt Bella, and she needed to ask me questions to see if there's any chance my Aunt could still be alive. Of course Potter and Weasley were there, panicking over their girl like she was made of porcelain, but as usual she put them in their place. I've also never heard Granger actually talk back to a professor before, it was quite amusing really."

"W-wait, but Bellatrix is dead isn't she?" Blaise asked.

Draco sighed and shrugged. "Turns out, after a quick trip to Manor, she's not. She's an animagus."

"Bloody hell," his friend gasped and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, and well, I guess I got plastered yesterday when I found out. I went to the Ministry to let the bloody three know and then went back to the pub. Next thing I know, Granger is sitting across from me and we're actually having a semi-decent conversation. She's not half bad to be honest, still infuriating, but she certainly can hold her liquor, I'll give her that. Assuming she held off better than I did today." Draco racked his mind to see if he had left anything out, but figured all the important stuff was said.

"Interesting," Blaise calculated as he sat back in his chair. "So you're all chummy with them then are you?"

Draco laughed then, knowing his friend was merely taunting him. "Hardly, but I'm going to have to what I can to help them figure this out. You and I both know if my Aunt returns we're all as good as dead."

Blaise nodded in agreement. "So what are you going to do?"

"Well, Scarhead and the Weasel king said they'll dig up what they can, so we can consider them hopeless, and Granger's going to work out this prophecy thing, but I told her she can send me an owl if she needs help, and I'm going to try and figure out where she would have gone. Any ideas?" Draco asked Blaise.

"Sorry mate, but if I hear anything, I'll let you know," his friend offered. "Fuck mate, you should've come to me earlier about this, you know I've got your back."

Draco smiled at his friend. He always knew he could trust Blaise, but in the past he tried to stay away from his faithful friend, not wanting to drag him into his hell too. He had ruined enough lives as it was. "Thanks Blaise, but honestly, I only figured this all out yesterday."

"You could've at least brought me to the reunion, I would've loved to see the look on everyone's faces as you showed up," he laughed.

Draco grinned, "Weasley certainly was redder than a baboons arse." Draco really felt grateful to have a friend like Blaise. He never tried to change Draco, just accepted him as is, and was always more than willing to go a few rounds at the pub whenever Draco needed to forget. "So what's your life been like lately? I haven't seen you in almost a year," he mocked, repeating his friend's earlier words.

Blaise chuckled as he began to tell Draco about his work. His work as a potioneer had started to bore him, so he started his own potion business, selling a variety of potions. He specialized in cosmetic potions as he loved the attention from the wide range of women who would come into his store in search of some sort of hair removal potion, or weight loss potion. He made a habit of making the effects only last so long, but the results impeccable, guaranteeing a constant flow of new and returning customers. Draco had to admit he was impressed albeit a little jealous that his friend had achieved so much just in the past year alone.

"You know, I could get you a job," Blaise offered, laughing as Draco politely shook his head.

"I'll come to you when Lucius' money runs out, but for now I'm good."

"Well, whatever suits you," Blaise commented.

Draco looked up at the time and sighed, it was already well past ten o'clock. He decided his initial plans for the night would have to wait until the next day, tonight he decided to actually get a decent sleep for once. "Well, I really should get going, but I'll send you an owl tomorrow, we should go for a drink sometime next week," Draco offered as he got to his feet.

"Definitely," Blaise grinned, following his friend's motion.

The two shook hands and Draco tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire. "See ya mate," he waved and whirled away as he spoke his address.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so any comments? or concerns so far? or questions? or even suggestions? I'm open to any and all! Hopefully I'll get another chapter up before Christmas! If I don't, Happy Holidays to you all, and a Happy New Year too!<br>**


	10. The Best Part

**A/N:** So First I wanted to say a big thank you to those sticking with the story so far. I understand it's starting rather slowly, but that just means a longer story for you all to read! Secondly, I also want to thank those of you who are reviewing. While I don't base my posts off how many reviews I get, I do really appreciate all the kind words. So thank you to Sampdoria, buttercup88, and Misty and Guest (lol), for reviewing. It's nice to hear people enjoy my work! I am always willing to hear any suggestions as well, or answer any questions. But again thank you! Third, I'm just letting you know, this may be the last Chapter until after I get back from Christmas visits. (Maybe Dec. 27th?) Don't, worry, not abandoning! Just have to get some Christmassy things done. And Last but not least, **MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMALS!**

As Always, I take no credit. I do not own any characters or ideas or worlds created by J.K Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Nine: <strong>_**The Best Part**_

Hermione stared at the black leather bound book sitting on her coffee table. Several times she had been tempted to crack the old spine and read through, curious as to what kind of a life Bellatrix had when she was younger. He chewed her bottom lip as she sat in front of it, hesitating on whether or not she should. While it was definitely something she knew she may have to do eventually, and it was Bellatrix Lestrange, one of the scariest witches Hermione's ever known, she couldn't help but feel it was still an invasion of privacy. It took her ten minutes to decide that Bellatrix's privacy should be the least of her concerns. She was about to pick the small book up when her phone started to ring.

"What now?" she groaned, running to the kitchen to retrieve the phone. "Hello?" she said, rather impatiently.

"Hey Hermione!"

She couldn't help but grin at the familiar voice on the other end. "Hi Harry! I thought you have work today?" she asked.

"I do, I just wanted to call to see if you'll meet us for lunch later? Say, Diagon Alley at half-twelve?" Harry asked through the phone.

Hermione looked at her watched and noted the time. 7:30 am. "Sound great," she smiled, "but can we meet at the Ministry? I have to pop by the office quickly."

She could almost see Harry's frown through the phone. "'Mione, it's your day off," he sighed with a chuckle.

"Precisely why I should use it to my advantage to get things done that I couldn't while at work," she explained.

"Kingsley won't be happy if he sees you, you know."

"Yes well, I'll just explain that I'm here to meet you for lunch," Hermione reasoned.

Harry sighed in defeat, knowing that Hermione was going to win this conversation, as usual. "Fine, the fountain at twelve-thirty. Don't be late, or I'll have to come arrest you for working too hard," he added with a chuckle.

"Deal," Hermione beamed. "See you then, bye Harry!"

"Bye."

She hung up the phone and made her way back up to her room to get dressed for the day, her mind far from the little black book sitting on her table. She put on a pair of comfortable jeans and a burgundy t-shirt. She threw her hair into a quick braid and made her way back to her kitchen. She poured herself more tea from the teapot, and sat in the chair, tucking her feet up on the edge of the seat. Taking a sip from her mug she thought briefly to the night before. It was a strange night to say the least. She had actually had a somewhat civil conversation with Draco 'ferret' Malfoy. She cringed slightly at the thought.

What bothered her most about the night that she had actually lost an argument for the first time, in well, ever! She knew she would have to work on some new insults before they met again. "Meet again?" she groaned. "Right," she recalled that he mentioned he wanted to help with this little assignment. She figured it couldn't hurt, especially with her upcoming meeting with the committee for House-Elf welfare. She knew she could use all the help she could get.

Thinking of her meeting, which was in five days, she swore under her breath and made her way to the sitting room where she last left her paperwork. She placed her mug on the table and picked up her stack of papers, doing a quick read through that everything was in order. She worked tirelessly until about noon. When she realized the time, she hurriedly packed up her things. She grabbed one of her cloaks and made her way to Floo to the Ministry.

Hermione's lunch went well, she met Harry and Ron and the trio made their way to Diagon Alley to get some lunch. They talked about work, about the prophecy; Hermione even mentioned her run in with Draco. The two boys were a bit on edge but Hermione assured them that he was still a prat, but that they should accept his help. Having someone who actually knows the inner workings of a Death Eater's mind would be a valuable asset into finding where she might be hiding.

The rest of the day and the weekend were filled with errands and more work for Hermione, finally offering a small bit of rest Sunday evening. But come Monday morning Hermione was just as frazzled as she was on Thursday. Her big meeting was next day she had lots to prepare. She had stayed up until midnight that night making sure everything was in order and she had the right words prepared to convince them that there needed to be some sort of structure and support system set up for not only House-elves, but all elves within the wizarding community.

Tuesday morning Hermione woke up, jolting from the kitchen table where she had fallen asleep. She panicked briefly, worried she was late for work but relaxed when she realized she still had an hour until she had to be in the office. She made herself a cup of tea and a piece of toast and sat back down to go over her notes one more time.

* * *

><p>"They are being abused!" Hermione near shouted at the thin wizard sitting three seats down. She slammed her palms on the edge of the long table and let out an exasperated breath. This meeting was not going well.<p>

"That's just how it is and how it always has been," a thin wizard named Bernard Trunkle explained. Hermione turned to face the man, examining his features. He had a thin face and deep-set blue eyes. His black hair was slicked back but she noticed a hint of a wave in the strands. He had thin lips and a large, hooked nose that looked out of proportion on his face. His hands were long and his frame was rather gangly. He looked as if he would have been clumsy in school, but he held a pompous air about him.

"Well, that's exactly the attitude that resulted in not only one, but two wars. Have you not noticed they are _still_ rebuilding parts of the castle at Hogwarts? I'm sure you don't want a repeat performance do you?" Hermione argued, crossing her arms. This conversation had veered greatly from her initial outline, but she didn't care anymore. She couldn't believe how arrogant some of the members were. While there were a few squeaks of support, the only people willing to have a conversation with her were only doing so to argue against her. She looked at the man and smirked. She had a feeling he was used to getting his way. Well, he obviously has never met Hermione Jean Granger.

A witch snorted from the other side of the table and Hermione whipped her glare in her direction. "They're just elves dear, what could they do?" Hermione almost pitied the round woman.

She shook her head and brought her hand to her eyes, massaging her temples with her fingers and thumb. "You forget that Elf magic is different from ours. In many ways, more powerful. But that's beside the point. We're not here to discuss whether or not Elves could start a war. We all know they're spirits are too kind for that. I'm not asking to change their lifestyles either. I understand that they enjoy serving witches and wizards, for the most part, but just because they enjoy it, it does not give us the right to make them fear us. We should embrace them. They should be given a fair wage and holidays. They should be given a contract, which they would agree upon of course. While I know in many instances, they are ashamed to take payment, if that is their choice, then so be it, but it should be their _choice_. And above all else, they shall not be harmed. If there is a disagreement, then arrangements can be made. They live to make others happy, they are not slaves."

When Hermione finished her speech she stood back and waited, watching each witch or wizard for any sign of response. She smiled as she received a few nods, but knew it wouldn't be enough.

"Well, in a month there is going to be a fundraiser gala to build a support house for abandoned and abused elves. If any of you would like to attend I'll be sending out an owl to each of you on the details by the end of the week. There will also be a notice in the paper next week some time. It would be great to see all of your faces there. For now, this meeting is over." Hermione turned and started to gather her papers as everyone started to file their ways out of the office. She almost jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned to see a petite witch holding out her hand. Hermione smiled and shook the woman's hand.

"Begonia Lark," the witch smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Hermione smiled back.

"I just wanted to say that what I think you're doing is very admirable, and you will most definitely see me at your fundraiser. I think it's high time there was someone around here to put those bigots in their place," the witch laughed with a crinkle in her eyes.

Hermione couldn't help but grin at the elderly witch before her. "Thank you, it's nice to meet a friendly face," she sighed as she added; "I just wish there was some way I could get them to see."

The older witch smiled and placed a comforting hand on Hermione's arm. "They will. And if they don't, well screw 'em."

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at the witch's brazenness. "Well I should get going dear, but please, do owl me if you need any assistance with anything." Hermione nodded and thanked the witch again before turning back to her papers when Ms. Lark had left.

As Hermione left the office with a big grin on her face and her mind full of hope, she hardly noticed the figure walk up beside her, jumping when he finally spoke.

"Someone's chipper," Draco smirked as he watched Hermione jump and nearly drop her things.

"Bugger off Malfoy," Hermione scowled, turning to face him.

Draco lifted his hands in defense, a smirk still on his lips. "Easy Granger, I'm only here to meet with the Minister. I just couldn't help myself when I saw you walk by though. It's so easy to get a rise out of you," he chuckled as he gave her a wave and made his way to the lifts. She glared daggers at Malfoy's back and waited for him to disappear in one of the lifts before making her way to her office. Hermione grinned again, deciding not to let the annoying git ruin her mood.

As she entered her office however she couldn't help but feel curious as to why he was meeting with Kingsley. She wondered briefly it was about the prophecy, but figured he would have mentioned something it was. It took her another five minutes to decide that she didn't really care after all and turned her attention back to her work.

After another hour her stomach growled and she suddenly realized that she had missed lunch due to her meeting running later than expected. She glanced at her clock and noticed she only had half an hour left of work anyway. After a somewhat successful day, she decided to something very un-Hermione like and leave work early. She gathered her files, intending to some research on locations for the support-home, and made her way to the lifts. After the quick ride down to the front hall she groaned as Malfoy came up beside her again.

"Can't stay away can you Granger?" Draco drawled.

"What do you want Malfoy?" she scowled, the combination of her hunger and his presence putting her in a foul mood.

Draco laughed and shook his head. "As I said, I was only here to visit the Minister. Just so happens we're leaving at the same time. Is that a crime?"

"Yes."

Draco snorted and stopped walking, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulders. "What's gotten you so prissy? Not that you aren't normally, but you seem in an exceptionally bad mood today," he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione pulled away from his grasp and glared daggers again, this time in his eyes. "If you must know, I seem to have some rather annoying company that won't take a hint and get lost." She tried to sound convincing, but suddenly her stomach gave her away. _Dammit._

Draco cocked his head to the side. "Hungry Granger?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and made her way to the fireplaces, deciding ignoring him would be the best option for her right now. Draco had other plans however and just as she called out her address, he quickly jumped into the flames, grabbing a hold of her arm and whipping through to her living room. He laughed as she started to scream and shoved him to the ground.

"How dare you!" she shouted, pulling out her wand and pointing it at Malfoy who now lay on her living room floor.

Once again he found himself raising his hands to his head as surrender. "Fuck Granger, it was just a joke!"

Hermione took a step closer, aiming her wand to his face. "And how exactly is harassing me at work, and hitching a ride into my APARTMENT no less, a joke? Tell me Malfoy, what's the punchline?" she growled.

"Well if you could see the look on your face right now," he started to laugh, stopping as he saw her eyes turn black. "Okay, I'm sorry," he said with a sigh. "I'm sorry alright?" he apologized again when she didn't lower her wand.

Hermione calculated for a moment on the situation and finally lowered her wand, knowing full well she could easily apprehend him if he tried anything else. "Get out," she commanded as she placed her hands on her hips.

Draco got to his feet and dusted himself off, a look of disgust on his face. He glanced around the room and smirked. "Nice place you got."

"I said, get out!" she shouted.

Draco shook his head and reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. He laughed as he saw Hermione reach for her wand again. "Relax, I was told to give you this from Kingsley," he explained, only moving again once she put her wand away.

Hermione's eyes squinted as she reached for the letter. "Why couldn't he give this to me himself?" she asked suspiciously.

Draco shrugged but answered anyway. "Guess he figured I'd run into you, besides, all it says is that he wants us to start formally working on this together. He knew you wouldn't believe me, so he wrote it down."

Despite Draco's answer, Hermione still read through the letter and gave a sigh as it confirmed everything he had just said. "Fine, but did you really have to make this so difficult?"

"You mean fun?" he laughed. "Well you wouldn't have listened to me otherwise, and don't try to deny it either. Anyway, I guess you'll see me around more too. I work at the ministry now," he laughed as he made his way to her front door to leave.

"What? How?"

Draco paused and turned back to face her. "Only temporary until this is cleared up, but I'm told to keep it a secret. Well, I'll see you around Granger,"

"I still hate you," she glowered.

"As do I," he replied as he finally left her flat.

Hermione groaned as she plopped herself down into her couch. She read over the letter again and let out a small scream of frustration. She sent a quick patronus to Ginny to see if it would be okay for her to come over for dinner. Ginny sent her reply telling her to come right over and Hermione quickly flooed over to her and Harry's home.

Harry and Ron were away for the entire week on some assignment with work, so it gave the two girls the chance to chat.

* * *

><p>"He did WHAT?" Ginny gasped as Hermione explained her run in with Malfoy that day. "I hope you cursed the daylights out of the arsehole!"<p>

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Trust me, next time he tries a stunt like that, I will," she said.

"I can't believe Kingsley is forcing you guys to work together. I know you would have to work together sometimes, but at least you can control how much you actually see him," Ginny said as she shook her head.

"I know, but at least this will help take some of the workload off so while I'm at work I can actually focus on my job instead of this ridiculous prophecy nonsense."

Ginny tensed as her friend casually mentioned the prophecy. "Hermione, it's not nonsense. If Bellatrix really is alive somewhere, this could be dangerous."

Hermione sighed and gave a soft smile to her friend. "I know Gin, it's just still a little bit hard to accept. Can we not talk about this right now? I'd rather talk about you. How's the team?"

Ginny's eyes lit up at the mention of Quidditch and grinned. "Great! The team's doing well, but I, um, well I think this might be last summer," she hesitated.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed as she glanced to her friend. "What? Why? Did something happen?" she worried.

Ginny laughed and shook her head. "No, no. It's nothing certain yet, and I haven't even told Harry, but-but I think I might be,"

Hermione's eyes widened as it dawned on her what her friend was telling her. A small grin grew on her face and tears started to well in her eyes. "Oh Ginny! Congratulations!" she squealed, throwing her arms around her friend.

"Well, it's nothing certain yet, that's why I haven't told Harry, I don't even know if I really am, but I feel like I am I don't know."

Hermione pulled away holding her friend at arm's length. "You mean you haven't checked yet?" Ginny shook her head, a blush crawling to her cheeks. Hermione stood and grabbed her wand. She knelt down in front of Ginny and pointed her wand towards the girl. She muttered a few enchantments and watched as the tip of her wand gave a faint glow. "Now, if you're pregnant, the glow will get significantly brighter, and if you're not, then it will go out. Ready?"

Ginny nodded and watched as Hermione's wand drew closer to her stomach. The two girls tightly held hands as they watched the light. Ginny gripped on to Hermione's other hand nervously as they waited for the light to change. Finally, tears started to form and Ginny felt Hermione throw her arms around her neck once again as soon as the light started to glow brighter, filling up the room.

"Congratulations Ginny," Hermione squealed as she brushed away her tears. "This is so exciting! I can't wait until you tell Harry!"

Ginny's smile faded at her friends words and more tears started to form. "Oh, Harry," Ginny cried, placing her head in her hands.

Hermione froze at her friend's sudden change of demeanor. "Ginny, what's wrong?" she asked, placing a hand on her back.

Ginny looked up at her with tear-stained eyes. "What if he's not ready Hermione? We never really talked about having children yet. And I've still been taking my potions, so I'm not entirely sure how this happened and,"

Hermione interrupted her sobbing friend. "Well, the potions aren't one hundred percent effective. And as for Harry, maybe a child is what he needs in his life Ginny. And you two will make great parents, I know it."

Ginny smiled and wiped her tears away once again. "Thanks Hermione," she sniffed. "You're right. Maybe a little hope is just what we need around here," she added with a small chuckle.

"I'm always right," Hermione grinned, happy that her friend was no longer upset. "Now we should celebrate by pigging out on chocolate and watching movies. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," Ginny beamed at the mention of chocolate.


	11. Hope In The Air

**A/N: **I apologise for the delay, but Christmas was great! And then I hit a bit of a block with this one. I knew what I wanted to happen, but I just couldn't get the words out. Might have something to do with the Harry Potter Marathon on TV this weekend! Anyway, so this chapter is a little shorter, but it starts to make things progress a little more. Hope you enjoy it :) Big thanks to all my lovely reviewers who keep telling me they're enjoying every bit of this. I have big things planned for this story so stick with it!

Disclaimer: Also, once again, I do not own anything by J.K Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Ten: <strong>_**Hope In The Air**_

**Harry's POV**

It was a rainy Friday afternoon when Harry finally trudged his way up the steps, his home revealing itself before him. As he opened the front door he dropped his pack to the floor and took off his boots. It had been a long week of Auror training deep in the woods. Harry had worked with several other senior staff to create many different scenarios that they would then have to work together in groups to solve or get out of. Harry even participated in many of them as well, and now, he was beat. His body was full of bruises and aches in places he had never ached before. Not even while hunting Horcruxes.

Harry winced as he shrugged off his soaking cloak and hung it by the door. Quickly he glanced at the clock that Molly had made for him, and saw that Ginny was still at practice. He figured she probably wouldn't be home for quite some time, so he lumbered up the stairs to go change. As he walked by each room however, he froze at Sirius' door and sighed. Harry turned and entered the room. He picked up the photo album he had flipped through several times before and stood against the wall. Slowly, Harry slid to the floor, his back leaning against the wall, and opened the book. The front page held pictures of four boys, each in their Hogwarts uniforms, and their red and gold ties loosely hung around their necks. Harry traced his finger across his father's smile, moving along to Remus' nervous smirk and then finally Sirius' lopsided grin. Long ago Harry had gone into a fit of rage and burnt every section of every picture that featured the treacherous Peter Pettigrew. He couldn't help but glare at the black spot that hung beside Sirius.

Harry angrily flipped through the pages, stopping at his favourite of them all. James was standing with his arm around Lily and staring at her in awe while she grinned and waved to the camera. Sirius was in the background making goofy faces behind them. He couldn't help but laugh, despite the tears that filled his eyes. This was Harry's favourite not just because of how happy everyone looked, but he could also see just how much his father loved his mother. He could tell, just from one picture, that his parents loved each other more than anything.

Harry closed the book and put his head back against the wall as he shut his eyes, trapping the tears in his eyelashes. Harry may not remember his parents, but he felt he knew them in every possible way, which only made his heart long for them even more. He knew he would never wish his life on anyone, and yet, his godson Teddy was forced into having his own parents taken away from him much too young as well. Harry knew that without a doubt he would try to be there for the young boy, but every day he grew, the more of a reminder he became of his parents' deaths. It reminded Harry of everyone that had given their life fighting with him. It reminded him of each and every face that would never be seen smiling at Christmas dinners again. He couldn't help but recall the image of Sirius' face at slipped away from him. He remembered reaching out for his hands, unable to grasp as he watched Sirius fade away beyond the veil. He turned and punched the wall behind him, unable to take the pain that began to fill his heart. Finally, after a long week, Harry hung his head into his lap and cried.

That was how Ginny had found him later that evening. Still against the wall, his head in his knees, and tears upon his face. "H-Harry?"

Harry slowly lifted his head to the sound of his wife's voice.

Ginny gasped at the sullen expression across her husband's face and dropped to her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her hands through his hair. "Oh Harry," she sniffed.

He wrapped his arms around Ginny and pulled her close to him. "I miss them so much," he whispered, his voice on the edge of breaking. He tucked his head into the crook of her neck and placed a small kiss.

"I know, I know Harry," Ginny sighed. She sat with him for a few more minutes before pulling away. She got to her feet and held onto his hands. He stood as she tugged on his hands and followed her to the edge of the bed where they sat. "Harry?" Ginny said as her eyes locked into his. "I have something to tell you."

Harry looked up to his wife nervously, unsure of what she could possibly say. "Is everything alright? Nobody's hurt are they?" he asked frantically.

Ginny shook her head and smiled nervously, unsure of where to start. "Harry, I-I'm pregnant."

Those three little words echoed in his mind. Images of everyone he had ever loved and lost flashed across his eyes until they settled on her. His heart started to beat faster as it finally sunk in. He was going to have a child, with Ginny. He was going to be a father. The way he looked at his wife just then reminded him of his favourite picture of his parents. He thought he had never known anyone who could love someone the way they loved each other. That was, until right then.

"Uh, Harry?" Ginny stammered, but before she could say anything else, Harry had pulled her to his lap and placed his lips ferociously on hers. She let out a small giggle as he smiled against her lips.

"I love you Ginny Potter," he grinned, placing a hand on her stomach. "And I love our child," he smiled, fresh tears in his eyes.

Ginny had her own tears that started to form as she kissed her husband on the cheek. "I love you too Harry Potter."

Ginny's laugh filled his ears as he scooped her in his arms and twirled her around the room. His heart felt as if it were going to burst. He gently placed her back to her feet and placed his hands in hers. Harry wrapped one arm around her waist, and held their other hands up, interlocking their fingers. He started to rock side to side and placed small kisses on her lips. Harry twirled Ginny in his arms and laughed with her as he dipped her low to the ground. He grinned as she attacked his lips when he pulled her back up, and returned her kiss intensely.

Harry picked her up and wrapped her legs around his torso. He carried her out of the room that once held so many sad memories and brought her to their room where they spend the remainder of the night entangled in each others arms. Harry couldn't think of any other time where he was happier than he was right then.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

The following Monday Draco found himself in a position that two weeks prior he never dreamt he would ever be in. Yet here he was, sitting in the library at the Ministry of Magic, waiting for Hermione Granger. He scowled as he realized she was either late or not coming at all. He had made a list of potential books they could look through and when he noticed she was running behind, he put it upon himself to find those books, even flipping through some of the pages. After another ten minutes of waiting, he figured she had probably decided not to show up. After all, he was probably the last person she would ever want to work with. He was about to put the books away and leave when suddenly she came bursting through the doors, hair more frazzled than usual, and a glare on her face that could petrify even a basilisk.

"You're late Granger," Draco tried to sound unamused, but he couldn't help but smirk at the appearance of the witch before him.

"Shove off Malfoy," she snapped as she took her seat across from him.

He shook his head and laughed. "What's got your knickers in a twist then?" he smirked.

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and got to her feet. "Fine, do this without me," she growled, but before she could leave she felt a hand on her wrist. "Let go of me ferret," she warned.

But Draco shook his head and smiled at her politely. "I'm sorry Granger, please, just sit?"

He wondered briefly if she was about to storm away from him as he reluctantly released her hand, but was pleasantly relieved as she sat back down in her chair. He nodded in her direction only to laugh in his thoughts as she crossed her arms in a huff. They sat in silence for five minutes and Draco noticed Hermione seemed to fighting an inward battle with herself. It wasn't until she finally spoke did he know that she was trying to decide if she should apologize to him or not.

"I'm sorry for being late and for being rude," she sighed, her hands massaging her temples. "Work has been… frustrating," she explained.

Draco cocked his head to the side and smiled. "Well if you need someone to vent to, I'm all ears," he offered as he sat back in his chair and spread his arms open.

He sat amused as he watched her clearly battle with herself in her mind. As he waited for a response he couldn't help but slowly rake over the flustered girl before him. She still had the same horrendously bushy hair, and still wore rather dull robes, but he noticed that she seemed to fill them a little more than she used to. While she didn't wear much makeup, if any at all, he thought she rather suited the fresh face look, and briefly wondered when she had grown into her teeth. He was shaken from his thoughts as she finally spoke up and cleared her throat.

"If you must know," she started with a sigh, "certain members of the Ministry haven't exactly been cooperating with my current job, which is making it rather difficult to get any work done. Especially since I've been at it on my own." Hermione wasn't sure why she added that last part but folded her hands in front of her so as not to show her nerves.

Draco tilted his head and asked, "what is it you actually do Granger?"

"I work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Currently I'm in talks with a committee for the health and welfare of House Elves, I-I'm supposed to be organizing a fundraiser in just a couple of weeks to help fund a sort of support house for elves that have been abused and abandoned, or seek help. But without the support of the committee, I just don't see how this will be possible," she explained.

Draco watched as Hermione's spirit seemed to crumble before him. It was strange to see the girl who had never backed down to his torments in school suddenly seem to be so fragile. He could see the dark circles around her eyes and wondered just how much sleep she was getting lately. "When is this fundraiser?" he asked curiously.

"Saturday, June Eighth, why?" she asked, her brow creasing.

Draco raised his eyebrows and couldn't help but smirk. "My birthday is June fifth," he answered with a shrug. "Sounds like you've got a lot of planning to do anyway, so let's just get this out of the way so you can go back to whatever it you need to do," he offered with a disinterested wave.

"Right," Hermione declared, sitting a little straighter in her seat. "Now, I see you've found some books that may help?"

Draco nodded and pulled one book to the centre of the table. "The rest of these are rubbish, but I found something interesting in this one about prophecies and what certain symbols may mean. Have you brought the diary?"

He watched as Hermione rummaged through a rather tiny beaded bag. He was about to ask what on earth she was hoping to find in that remarkably small bag when he watched as her entire arm disappeared inside it. "Undetectable extension charm? I'm impressed Granger," he proclaimed. He knew he was bordering on dangerous terms by freely giving compliments, and knew he needed to stop himself soon before she suddenly got in her mind he actually wanted to be… friendly. He felt a slight cringe at the word.

"Thanks," she huffed, removing her arm. "Sorry, but I don't believe I have it. I must've left it on my night table," she explained.

A scowl formed on his face as he crossed his arms. "And what did you think we'd possibly work on without it?"

"I forgot it, so what? I'll bring it next time Malfoy," she replied with an annoyed tone.

"That's not good enough, now you've gone and wasted my time," Draco snarled, unsure of where his foul mood had appeared from, but couldn't stop it.

Hermione crossed her arms and got to her feet. "Well I apologize but perhaps I have more important things to do during the day, see some people have jobs Malfoy, something I don't expect you to understand."

Draco got to his feet as well. "Watch it Granger, you're bordering dangerous territory," he sneered.

"Oh is that so? And what are you going to do about it? Get drunk off your arse again I suppose?" she retorted.

Draco let out a low growl, "I'd rather be a drunk than a prude."

Hermione snorted. "Is that really the best you've got?" she laughed. "You're incorrigible, spineless, and honestly, I could not care less if you disappeared off the face of the Earth," she said plainly.

"I hate you," he spat.

"Funny thing hate, I used to think I hated you because of how you treated us in school, but to be honest, that's all in the past. I'm not even sure I really hate you anymore. If anything, I pity you Malfoy. It must be hard to have no friends, no family. So if you'll excuse me I've got better things to do than to waste my time with a pathetic, revolting drunk," she said with a frown.

Draco's hands shook at his sides but all he could do was stand there and watch as Hermione turned and stomped right out of the library. He let out a disgruntled scream as he threw the books to the floor. He glared daggers at the librarian as the woman cleared her throat, disapproval written across her face. "I know, I'm leaving," he said as he grabbed his things and made for the door. He knew Granger had hit a nerve in him, but what really shocked him was that a part of him seemed to care about her opinion on him. With that thought in mind, he knew he was definitely in need of a hard drink.

* * *

><p>There was a chill in the air as a hooded figure moved through the night, glancing over their shoulder every few seconds. She watched as the person pulled their hood tighter over their head and made their way through the trees. "No need to fear darling," she cooed. She cackled as the figure jumped at her voice, whipping around to face her with their wand pointed in her face.<p>

Bellatrix laughed as she lowered the wand with her own hand. "Now, now deary, we wouldn't any accidents would we?" Bellatrix walked passed them indicating they were to follow. Slowly the two made their way through the trees until they came upon a cavern embedded within some rocks. She entered the cave, the other following right behind. She conjured some light and beckoned for the newcomer to come closer.

"Listen here, I need you to bring me something. Do what you need to get the job done, defy me and you will never see the likes of your family again, do you understand?" she commanded. When her guest nodded she smiled, her crooked teeth shining in the light. "Wonderful, now here's what I need you to do…"


	12. Enemy Fire

**A/N: **TWO IN A ROW! Woohoo! Anyway, enjoy! Like I said, things are really starting to pick up… Read, review, comment, question, whatever you like!

I do not take credit for anything written or created by J.K Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Eleven:<strong> _**Enemy Fire**_

It was bad enough that Hermione had to work on a Saturday, but she also had two weeks to get everything together for the fundraiser and to top it all off things weren't getting any easier with her side mission on figuring out the prophecy. She hadn't seen Malfoy all week after their argument on Monday and while she wasn't exactly upset by the fact, she knew that sooner or later they would have to get back to work. She sighed as she arrived at her location and walked up the long driveway to the plot of land she had heard was for sale.

While most wizards and witches her age spent their weekends with friends or going shopping, or just in general doing anything but work, but Hermione was determined to not only complete her job, but be successful in it and that meant that every hour was precious. So here she was standing in front of an old run down barn in the middle of the countryside, searching for the perfect place to build a shelter for Elves.

A short round man came hobbling from behind the barn. "Ah, Miss Granger I presume?" the man called, a small grin upon his face.

Hermione returned the smile and held out her hand. "Yes, and you must be Mr. Goldright. Ms. Lark mentioned I might be interested in meeting with you?"

The stout man shook her hand rigorously. "Ah, sweet Begonia, she did mention you might stop by, yes. She also mentioned you might be interested in purchasing this land, am I right?" Hermione nodded in response. "Very well, come this way," he offered as he led the way toward the barn. "Mind your step," he said as he skipped a rather broken step up onto the porch. "The boards are a bit loose, it's a bit of a fixer upper, but the view can't be beat."

"I do not mind, as we'll most likely be building from the ground up," Hermione explained, sidestepping a large gap in the floors. She followed the man through the broken building, dodging the occasional pieces of barn board that fell to the floor, or skipping over a rather loose looking floor. She listened as he explained that this used to be a home to a quaint couple that tended to a garden in the back, but as they grew older they decided the building was just too much work to maintain, magic or not, so they moved closer to London to be near their children and grandchildren.

Hermione admired the small home, and admired the character that came with it, but knew that its current state was not acceptable for a shelter. She'd have to make sure to bring that up while negotiating the price. "To be honest, I'd really like to see the yard," she mentioned as they made their way back out the front door.

"Certainly," Mr. Goldright nodded, bringing her around to the back of the plot. Hermione's eyes lit up as she scanned the land. There was a rather large garden to the right of the yard that seemed to have overgrown after years of being unkempt, but she knew that would not take long to fix. What really attracted her was the large pond towards the back of the property. As she made her way closer to the water, she knew it would be the perfect place for a therapeutic care station to help heal Elves that have been impacted by some kind of trauma. As she turned around she tried to wipe the astonished expression from her face, knowing it would do nothing to lower the price of the property if he could see just how much she wanted it.

"If I decide this is the right place, what kind of price range could we be expecting?" she asked casually, so as not to give too much away. But in all honestly, this was the only place that could meet all her needs. She knew that either way, she was going to have this place, even if she had to dip into her own funds to afford it.

"Well, initially I was asking for 75 000 Galleons, but for you, I could go as low as 50 000," he suggested.

Hermione couldn't hide the shock on her face at the high cost. It cost more than a year's worth of her salary. "Surely you must take into account the state of the building. I'd be willing to offer no more than 35, 000 Galleons," she counter offered, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

"That I cannot do," he shook his head. "50, 000 Galleons is as low as I can go. While the building needs a bit of work, the land itself is worth double that alone. If you're interested, I will need a deposit of at least one quarter of the total by the end of next month. If it's too steep, well you'll just have to try your luck elsewhere," the man firmly said.

Hermione sighed and shook the man's hand. "I'll be in touch. I'll let you know in two weeks' time, how does that sound?"

"I'll be expecting your owl Miss Granger. Oh and do send my regards to Begonia will you? I'll have to make some time to have tea with her one day soon," he smiled.

Hermione hesitantly returned the smile before making her way back down the drive to the apparition point. She groaned at the realization that if the fundraiser went as horribly as she was expecting there would be no way she could afford this property. Hell, if the fundraiser went bad, she could good as well kiss her career goodbye while she was at it. She glanced to the sky and watched the sun begin to set. Her stomach let out a low rumble and she sighed before apparating to the alley beside the familiar little pub she had begun to frequent, especially on nights she didn't particularly feel like cooking.

As she entered the pub she knew it was a bit too early for supper, but her stomach was telling her otherwise. She briefly saw a flash of that familiar blonde hair in the same corner she had seen him a few weeks prior, but instead of joining him as she did last time, she made her way to the other side of the room, sitting a table near a group of muggles celebrating someone's birthday.

A few minutes after Hermione sat; a waitress arrived and took her order. "I'll just have the cheeseburger and some onion rings please, oh and a coke please and thank you," she ordered. The waitress nodded and took off back to the bar, handing the order to the kitchen staff. She returned shortly with Hermione's drink and then made her way to another table.

Hermione stirred her straw around her glass as she thought about her day. She had visited seven locations that day, none of them as promising as that last one. The first two were completely wrong for what she intended to do; they were tiny flats in a busy muggle neighbourhood. She moved on to the third, which was very remote, however when she mentioned what she was trying to do with the property, the landowner promptly asked her to leave and to never return, especially not with such an outlandish notion as hers. The fourth and fifth properties seemed promising, they were a tad on the small side, but they were both in small wizarding communities. However, the price was even higher than what Goldright was asking for. The sixth property was very similar to the one she had just come from. There was a pond, and an area for a garden and plenty of space for a wide range of options. The building was also in pristine condition, having just been renovated by the landowner. The price was also reasonable. Hermione thought it was too good to be true and soon found out it in fact was. It had turned out that the reason the property was so cheap and hadn't been sold yet was because it had been a former Death Eater's property. There also seemed to be many dark artifacts that were unable to be removed from the home due to some sort of charm placed upon them that no one seemed to be able to remove.

She sighed as she took a sip from her glass, her thoughts running a mile a minute as she tried to calculate how much she would need to raise in two weeks in order to not only buy the property but to fund the building process of the shelter. She was thankful for the distraction when her food finally arrived and took a satisfying bite out of her burger.

"Would I be able to get some salt and vinegar?" she asked the waitress before she disappeared. When she came back with Hermione's request, she smiled and muttered a quick thank you before sprinkling the condiments over her onion rings.

She savoured each bite of her burger and washed down each bite with her drink. She hardly noticed the large group of men enter the pub, her full attention on the food before her. She was mid bite on one of her onion rings when the waitress arrived with a smirk on her face. She carried a pink drink on her tray and nodded in the direction of a man sitting at the bar with his friends. "This is courtesy of the man in the white shirt at the bar," the waitress smiled, placing the drink in front of Hermione.

"Uh, thanks," she said confused. "But I'm not interested," she added, her eyes drifting to the direction of the man who sat staring at her with a wild grin on his face. She couldn't help but shiver at his gaze. "Could you please send it back?" she asked the waitress.

The waitress shrugged and picked the drink back up. She watched as the waitress handed the drink to the man and explained what Hermione had said in response. The man frowned, but nodded and the waitress soon disappeared elsewhere. Figuring the moment was over; Hermione turned her attention back to her meal and her own thoughts. However she was once again interrupted, this time by the man himself.

"Did I get your drink wrong?" the man asked as he slipped into the seat across from her.

Hermione sighed and looked up at the man before her, annoyed immediately by his presence. She admitted to herself he was rather handsome, with sand coloured hair, and warm hazel eyes, but she could tell he knew how handsome he was and wasn't used to being turned down by a girl before. She raised her eyebrow and settled back in her seat.

"Excuse me, but I'm trying to eat my supper," she said.

He chuckled in response and smirked, no doubt trying to appear charming. "Who might you be?" he asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes and continued to eat her food, deciding to ignore the oblivious fool.

However just as she was about to pick up an onion ring, the plate was dragged to the other side of the table and the man began to eat her food. "What do you think you're doing?" she scolded.

The man laughed again, inciting more rage into Hermione. "Now, now, don't ruin your pretty little face with a frown," he drawled, nudging his knuckles along her chin. Hermione recoiled at his touch, suddenly no longer feeling hungry.

"Fine, have it," she spat. She took money out of her purse and slammed it on the table before getting up to her feet.

"Where do you think you're going darling? I haven't got your name?" he said sweetly as he gripped her wrist. His voice seemed sickeningly sweet Hermione decided.

"My name is none of your business," she snarled.

"My name is Cole," he offered.

"Fitting, you're about as dull as a lump of coal anyway," she retorted as she tried to pull away. Panic started to rise when she couldn't release his grip. She knew she could easily send him away with the quick flick of her wand, but this was a muggle pub, and she knew she'd be risking breaking many laws if she even so much as pulled her wand out.

"Let me go," she warned. But Cole shook his head, pulling her a little bit closer to him.

He leaned close and whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "If you won't tell me your name, I'll just have to get to know you another way."

Hermione glanced around the room trying to see if anyone was aware of how uncomfortable she really was, but no one seemed to pay any attention to them. "You're a pig," she spat and stomped on his foot. He let go of her briefly but quickly snatched her arm again.

"Let her go," a familiar voice growled from behind her.

"Who are you?" Cole scoffed at Malfoy.

Hermione sighed as she tried to pull herself from his grasp, not willing to let herself be rescued by Draco Malfoy of all people.

"Your worst nightmare if you don't let the girl go," Draco warned.

Hermione squealed as the man pulled her close, she noticed Draco slowly reach for his wand but as Cole leaned in to try and kiss her, she managed to pull away. Before she knew what was happening, her fist was flying through the air and connected with a loud smack to the man's jaw. She shook her hand, but stood firmly as the man collected himself. "Do not touch me," she scolded as the man tried to lunge for her only to receive another hard slap to the face, this time accompanied by a kick to the groin. She couldn't help but smile as the man clutched his presumably small parts and fell into a chair.

With her head held high, she brushed past Malfoy and made her way out the door, only stopping when she could hear his footsteps following. "What do you want Malfoy?" she glowered as she whipped around to face him.

"You need to watch yourself Granger, men like that don't care if they have to hurt a woman to get what they want," Draco spoke, disgust blatant throughout his tone.

Hermione folded her arms on her chest and frowned. "I know perfectly well what his intentions were, and I'm pretty sure I handled myself perfectly fine, now if you don't mind, I'm going home to get some sleep," she said as she turned on her heels.

She whipped around again as she felt a hand on her shoulder and pointed her wand at Draco's face. "Leave me alone Malfoy," she barked.

Draco took a step back and nodded, unsure of what to say, but couldn't shake the uneasy feeling growing in his stomach. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he should go with her, however his brain reminded him how much he loathed the girl and ultimately, he kept his feet firmly planted to the ground. He gave the girl a nod and turned back toward the bar, figuring he could at least have some fun messing with the man that had tried to harm Hermione just moments prior.

Hermione watched as Draco made his way back to the bar before she turned and walked the rest of the way to her flat. "Finally," she sighed, glad for some alone time.

When she reached her front door, she slowly reached for the door handle, but froze as her stomach started to drop. She couldn't understand why, but something didn't feel quite right. She looked up and down the street and noticed it had grown quite dark rather fast. The air seemed to have a rare spring chill, and the wind whipped through the trees. She quickly took out her wand and checked her wards.

Her wand buzzed as she came across an inconsistency in her protection wards. Quickly backing away from the door, she sends a quick patronus to Kingsley and Harry, warning them her wards were tampered with and that something didn't feel quite right. As she raised her wand to try and find the location of the breach, she suddenly felt a pair of hands cover her mouth and waist, dragging her backwards into a dark alley.

She quickly thanked Merlin that she still had her wand and she cast a quick burning hex, and lunged forward into the street with a cry as the hooded figured screamed as his hands suddenly felt as if they were on fire. Hermione tripped as she stumbled from the alley and barely had enough time to roll out of the way as a curse was fired in her direction. A flash of blue light zipped past her head, landing on a trash bin behind her, causing it to explode.

"Stupefy!" she shouted, sending her spell flying toward the hooded figure. He ducked away from the spell, but leaped towards her.

She fell backwards as he landed on top of her, his hands clutching her throat. She frantically searched for her wand as she realized it fell from her grip as he landed on her. Slowly her breath started to falter and she wrapped her hands around the man's wrists, trying to pry them off of her. She eventually was able to squeeze a knee between them and used it to throw him off onto his back.

She took that moment to scramble towards her wand, but just as she reached it she felt a spell hit her back. She tried to scream in pain, but found no sounds escaping. She managed to just grab the tip of her wand when she felt herself being dragged by her feet back into the darkness.

Quickly turning herself around she cast a weak non-verbal spell that managed to distract her attacker just long enough for her reverse the silencing charm placed on her. She ran back to the street to see that Harry and Ron had arrived, along with the Minister and several other Aurors. She bolted towards her friends, but froze as she felt a bolt strike her back. She could feel herself falling to the ground and the last thing she saw was Harry and Ron's faces lean over her before everything turned to black.

* * *

><p>Hermione's eyes flickered and she immediately shot up, her wand gripped tightly in her hand.<p>

"'Mione it's alright! We're here, you're safe," she heard a friendly voice say.

She turned to see Harry and Ron crouched in front of her. "How long was I?" she started to ask nervously.

Ron smiled. "Only about five minutes or so, you were only hit with a stunning spell," he explained.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief and slowly got to her feet when she realized she was still on the street. "Did you catch him?" she asked.

Her two friends looked at each other before shaking their heads. "Did you see him?" they asked.

She looked to the ground and shook her head in response. "It was too dark," she sighed.

"Well the important thing is you're okay," Harry reminded her with a smile.

She smiled back and the three made their way over to the group of Aurors and Kingsley. "Minister?" she asked, "is there any news on my flat?"

Kingsley dismissed the other Aurors before turning his attention to the trio. "Yes Hermione, I've actually fixed it myself, and I've thrown in a few of my own protection spells on top, just in case. It wasn't a rather complicated bit of magic, but it managed to break through some of your wards. If you hadn't suspected something, you would have been immobilized the moment you entered your apartment."

"But I can go back now?" she asked.

"Of course, but I suspect this won't be the last attack. I highly recommend you find a new place to live in the coming weeks. I would even suggest you stay elsewhere until then," Kingsley warned, making sure to keep his voice low.

Hermione puffed her chest and shook her head. "I will not let one man make me afraid of my own home," she said determined to stay strong.

"But Hermione," Ron started to whine, instantly stopping as she glared at him.

"But Hermione nothing Ronald," she scolded. "That's just what they want me to do. They want to scare me, but the joke is on them because it's going to take a lot more than one pathetic attempt to scare me off."

Ron was about to disagree but thought better of it and nodded in response. "If anything else happens, please consider it," he added.

Hermione smiled at her friend and nodded. "Okay, the moment I no longer feel safe, I'll come find one of you, deal?"

Harry and Ron grinned and threw their arms around their friend. "That's all we ask Hermione," Harry sighed with relief.

"Now, you two should get home, it's getting late, and I have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Goodbye Ron, bye Harry," she said as she placed a quick kiss on both their cheeks and made her way back to her flat.

She made sure to keep a brave face in front of her friends, but as soon as Hermione shut the door behind her, she collapsed the ground and let the fear consume her. She stayed like that for a moment, only moving when her cat came to greet her. She scooped up her cat and made her way to her room. When she was finally under the covers, she finally let her tears fall. She refused to turn the light out that night, despite knowing it would not stop the nightmares that were sure to come.


	13. Living Of Love

**A/N:** And here we go again, I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it too. Especially the last half of it. I really think Ginny and Harry's relationship is the cutest. :') I'm a sucker for love. Anywho, enjoy another chapter friends :) And again, thank you for the lovely reviews! It really does help to keep me on track with my writing!

Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter related things. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve:<strong> _**Living Of Love**_

**Hermione's POV**

The following Wednesday Hermione found herself swamped with paperwork once again, only this time she didn't mind. Since the attack she had filled her days with constant work, she busied herself with organizing the fundraiser and contacting several companies in regards to construction and funding for the Elvish Safe-House. She currently was writing letters to every wealthy family and every Ministry employee, inviting them to the gala the following week. She also had another stack of letters to send to local businesses that may be willing to donate products to be bid on by the attendees of the gala.

She sighed as she finished the last of her letters, and with the swish of her wand, the letters disappeared, no doubt arriving at the Ministry owlery to be mailed that day. There was a knock at her door and she couldn't help but jump slightly in her seat. "C-Come in," she stuttered.

She sighed with relief as Harry poked his head into the room. "Hi Harry," she grinned.

"Hi Hermione," he smiled, making his way across the room. He took a seat across from his friend and smiled nervously. He seemed to be struggling to find his words.

Hermione rolled her eyes and placed her quill on the desk. "Get on with it then Harry," she groaned.

"Hermione, I want you to consider living with us for a while, until you can find a new place to live. Kingsley was right the other night and," he froze as Hermione's hand rose to silence him.

"I know Harry, and believe me, I would if I could, but," she chewed the bottom of her lip, "well I just can't afford to right now. Heaven knows I've been strung out with trying to get this project completed, and if I don't raise enough money next Saturday then I'll have to use money from my own pocket. I simply can't afford, nor do I have time to look for another place to live. And don't even try to tell me to my problems into your home too. I promise I'll be careful okay? I just, if I leave, then I let them win," she sighed.

Harry reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "I know Hermione, but please, we're worried about you, what if this has to do with Bellatrix?" he asked.

Hermione smiled and squeezed his hand. "How about this, I'll only travel by floo from now on, and I'll be sure that if I do go anywhere at night, someone will be with me. And as I said earlier, the moment something else happens to cause me any worry, I'll be out of there, but for now, I really don't have time." Hermione offered her friend a faint smile.

"Promise?"

"I promise Harry," she nodded.

"Good, well I'll leave you to it," he said as he got to his feet. "Oh! I almost forgot, Ginny and I are having a few people over tonight, the family and friends, we have something we need to share," he added.

Hermione tried to contain her smile as she guessed what it was they wanted to tell them all but she nodded. "I'll be there," she smiled.

"Great, Ron and I will come get you after work and we can all go back together, later Hermione," her friend waved goodbye as he left the room quickly to avoid any complaints from Hermione.

She couldn't help but shake her head with a laugh, knowing full well Harry only wanted her to travel with them because he didn't want her to be alone, but she let it be, figuring she would have gone directly there after work regardless. Hermione couldn't help but grin as she thought about the news she was certain she was going to hear later that night.

The thought of the upcoming child only solidified her decision to stay where she was. She knew she could not impose, now more than ever. They needed time to begin building their family together, and she refused to put them in anymore danger than they already were.

With a quick glance at the time she groaned and scrawled out a quick note on a piece of parchment. She sent it away with the flick of her wand and pulled out another piece of parchment. Before she could begin any work however, there was another knock at the door. "Come in," she called, and sighed as Draco walked into the room. He sat across from her and crossed his legs. "Malfoy," she greeted with a nod.

"Granger," he nodded back.

She rubbed her face with her palm before exhaling. "Look, I wanted to apologize for my behaviour this past week. Here," she said as she tossed the small diary across the table.

"Don't apologize, I was being a prat, and I expected nothing less from you," he responded with an amused smirk on his face.

Hermione looked down at the table and sighed. "Okay," she muttered.

Draco frowned, confused as to why she seemed so defeated today. "Granger, while I do appreciate your cooperation, I can't help but wonder what's put out your fire?" he asked.

She shook her head and glared back at him. "It's none of your business Malfoy, I only want to get this all over with so if we can get on with our research, it would be greatly appreciated," she stated, sitting a little straighter in her seat.

Hermione reached for the small diary at the same time as Draco and froze as their hands briefly touched. She felt a small pulse race through her bones and she shivered as it coursed through her skin. He let out a small cough and pulled his hand away, nodding for her to continue. Hermione's face began to turn red, and wondered why exactly she had reacted the way she had, but recovered quickly by picking up the small book and flipping through the pages. She casually read through the words, pausing as she pointed to one section of the page.

"Here," she exclaimed, turning the book to Draco. "It's her first transformation, she's a,"

"Black Widow," Draco scoffed. "Fitting."

Hermione couldn't help but snort in agreement. It wasn't all that surprising really; it certainly did suit her personality. "Well that's just great," she groaned. "How on Earth are we supposed to find a _spider_," she complained.

Draco sighed and continued to read through the page. "Well, knowing my Aunt, she's not likely to hide away when there's something she wants," he mentioned with a shrug.

"Does it say anything about a location she might particularly favour in regards to practicing her transformation?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

Draco flipped through some pages quickly but shook his head. "From the sounds of it, she'd go just about anywhere," he added.

Hermione groaned and rubbed at her temples as she placed her elbows on her desk and her head in her hands. "I do not have time for this," she sighed.

"You look like you need a drink Granger," Draco suggested.

"You have no idea, this has not been my week," she muttered.

Draco leaned back and kicked his legs up onto her desk. He placed his arms behind his head and smiled softly. "I'm all ears Granger," he offered.

She scowled as she shoved his feet to the floor. She briefly wondered if she could really trust him with this information, but figured he seemed to be just as terrified by the prospect of Bellatrix returning, if not more so. She cast a quick muffliato charm on her office, and locked the door, causing Draco to lean forward a bit in his seat. She glanced around the room, her eyes falling to a picture of her parents before she explained the events of the other night. "I was attacked Saturday night, after I left the pub," she explained.

Draco's hands clenched tight and his jaw became rigid. "Do you know who did it?" he said stiffly.

Hermione shook her head and her hands started to shake. "He, he, well if I hadn't noticed someone had tampered with my wards, well, he just may have gotten to me," she sighed. She placed her head in her hands once more and tried hard to fight back the tears that were starting to appear.

Before he knew what was happening, Draco placed a hand on her shoulder. When her head shot up, confusion written on her face, he instantly removed it, but it had been there long enough to actually mean something. What, he didn't know, but it had obviously meant something or he wouldn't have done it. "Hold your head up Granger, you're stronger than this," he attempted to mock, but no real venom behind it. He offered a small smile, which she hesitantly returned. "You definitely deserve a few drinks, let me buy you a couple and I'm sure in no time you'll return to your insufferable self," he teased, a small glimmer in his eyes.

Hermione frowned at his offer, still staring at the hand that had touched her shoulder. It was the same one she briefly grazed earlier. "I-I can't," she said shaking her head.

Draco snorted, "sure you can Granger, you've survived having a few drinks with me before, I think it's safe to say I don't bite," he laughed.

Hermione chuckled a little in return. "No, no I, I have to go over to Harry's later for dinner, but actually a drink sounds lovely. Maybe we can finish up for the day, and continue this over drinks tomorrow night?" she suggested, suddenly aware of the nerves bubbling inside her. Had she really just agreed to go for a few drinks with Draco Malfoy? A small part of her scolded herself, but another knew that he was right. She needed something to calm her nerves and she knew she wouldn't dare go alone.

Draco smiled. "Tomorrow night then," he agreed and made to leave the room. "Oh and Granger, do be careful, you might be our only chance," he added before closing the door behind him.

Hermione watched the blonde man leave the room, and briefly wondered when he had become so confident. He always was during school, but lately he seemed to be hollow. That was, until he started to help with the prophecy. She figured it was good for him to finally be doing something with his time, rather than wasting away on his father's money.

She gathered her things and began to sort her files into three piles. One for work that has been completed, one for work that is not urgent, but needs to be done, and work that needs to be completed as soon as possible. Once her piles were made, she then flicked her wand, sending all her quills, ink and parchment back into the side drawer of her desk.

When everything was in order, Hermione made her way out of her office to the lifts to meet Harry and Ron before heading to Grimmauld Place for the evening. She had a newfound bounce in her step, and told herself it was most likely from knowing what it was Harry and Ginny had to share with them later in the evening. But something inside her told her it was also from the events of her meeting with a certain Slytherin.

* * *

><p><strong>Ginny's POV<strong>

Ginny threw her arms around Hermione's neck as she greeted her best friend. "Come in, come in, Mum and Dad are in the kitchen setting the table. I tried to tell her that she was our guest, but she wouldn't have any of it," she laughed as she directed them to the kitchen. "Mum, Dad, enough!" she scolded her parents. "Let's all just sit for supper," she smiled.

"Did someone say supper?" called George as he poked his head in from the hall. "Hey Hermione," George grinned. "Haven't seen you in a while, heard about the other night, you alright?" he asked.

"Fine thanks," Hermione smiled.

Ginny watched as the rest of her rather large family filed into the room, happy to see her brothers all gathered together. Even Charlie had made it to dinner, which was a fairly rare occasion. She smiled as young Victoire wobbled around the room and couldn't help but place her own hand on top of her stomach. "Well come on then, supper's ready everybody, let's grab our seats," she smiled to her family before leading the way to the dining table.

"So how are the new recruits?" Ginny asked Charlie as she passed the bowl of potatoes down the table.

Her brother had just filled his mouth with a dinner roll so she couldn't help but chuckle as he tried to respond. "Grea' actually," he swallowed. "Not too many injuries, but one bloke nearly got his arm sliced right off, tried to feed a baby short snout by hand. Little bugger got a little snappy," he laughed. "Oh don't worry, he's a'right," he shrugged, taking a bite of his roast.

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at the image in her mind as she too started to eat. She grinned as her family started into their usual rowdy dinner conversation. Ron and George were discussing the shop, Harry, Bill and Angelina were talking about Quidditch, Fleur was feeding little Victoire, Charlie and Hermione were speaking about the various uses of dragon scales, even Perc y was engaged in a rousing discussion with their father. She smiled at her mother and knew this was exactly where they all belonged.

There was a knock at the door and Harry's eyes lit up as he left the kitchen fairly quickly. He quickly returned, a small boy clinging to his neck. "Teddy!" Ginny squealed, joining Harry and the small boy. Andromeda followed soon behind.

"Sorry we're late," the older witch smiled, finding her place at the table. "This little one's been giving me quite a hard time these days. I suspect you had a hand in his little pranks George," she smirked, nodding to Ginny's brother.

"Guilty as charged," George grinned with a bow.

"Well, you're here now, help yourself Andromeda, you're always welcome here," Harry laughed as the boy's nose started to turn into a short snout. "He's getting better every day," Harry commented as he placed Teddy in his chair.

"Yeah, well, he's certainly giving Dora a run for her money," she answered with a sad smile on her face.

The table was silent for a moment before Arthur rose to his feet and held up his glass. Ginny turned to the clink of metal on glass and watched as her father prepared to give a toast.

"I think now's as good a time as any. I just wanted to give thanks to the family for making it tonight. It means a lot to your mother and me to get this time to see all of you together like this. And in these times it is important to remember your family and hold onto them as tight as you can. So thank you all, and thank you Harry and Ginny for inviting us over for this lovely meal. Cheers." As Arthur raised his glass, so did everyone else, clinking them together with whoever was nearby.

Ginny felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Harry stand to his feet as well. Suddenly her heart fluttered with nerves as Harry refilled his glass. "Thank you Arthur," he nodded before turning to everyone. "I have to agree, it's nice to have everyone here, together. And while we should definitely do this more often, I have to admit there was a reason why we asked you all here today," Harry glanced down to his wife and Ginny stood beside her husband, grabbing his hand.

"We're going to be parents," she announced with tears in her eyes. She brought her hand to her stomach and looked down. She looked back up at the smiling faces, tears forming in her parent's eyes.

Finally it was George who spoke to break the silence. "If it's a boy I hope he's not a screwy specky git like his father," he beamed. "Congratulations you two!"

Harry and Ginny both laughed and nodded their thanks. Suddenly the table erupted in cheers of congratulations and everyone began hugging each other in the excitement. Ginny wrapped her arms around her mother as Molly made her way to her daughter. "Congratulations dear," Molly cried with happiness.

"Thanks Mum," she smiled, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.

When the noise settled, they finally took their seats again. "So is it a boy or a girl?" Angelina piped up once they all settled down.

"It's too early to tell," Ginny explained, "But we've picked out a few names," she added as she glanced to her husband.

"Well go on then," Ron smiled, still a little uncomfortable at the thought of his best friend and his sister making a baby, but ecstatic to be an uncle again.

Harry smiled at his wife before turning to his friends and family. "Well if it's a boy, we're thinking James Sirius," he said, gripping tight to Ginny's hand.

"And if it's a girl I like the name Dora, after Nymphadora," Ginny mentioned as she nodded to Andromeda, who's eyes were now brimming with tears.

"Those are wonderful names," Hermione exclaimed, offering support to her friends.

Harry smiled his thanks to her. "We're glad to share this moment with all of you, and I want to personally thank you all for the support you've given us, and me, in the past to ensure that we can truly bring this joy to our lives."

Hermione rose to her feet then and spoke as her friend started to tear up. "Harry, I think I can speak for everyone that if anyone deserves happiness, it's you. I know you and Ginny will be wonderful parents, again, congratulations to you both."

Ginny grinned at her friend and clapped her hands together in excitement. "Well, I think it's time we cleared out to the living room. I'll clear off the table. Will anyone want some tea?"

"Tea? I think this night calls for something a little stronger than tea!" Charlie suggested.

"I agree mate, Harry here's about to be a dad, this certainly calls for celebratory drinks," Bill laughed as he summoned a bottle of firewhisky and some glasses. He carried them to the other room, with Ron dragging Harry shortly behind him. Ginny laughed and watched as the boys dragged her husband from the room, waving him on when Harry looked hesitantly back toward her.

Ginny quickly cleared the table with the help of Hermione, Fleur and Molly, but soon dismissed the other women to join the men in the other room. When the dishes were put away, Ginny made her way to the living room and leaned in the doorway, watching as everyone took turns making a toast as they filled and refilled their glasses.

After a few hours, when everyone started to feel the buzz of the alcohol blur their minds, they all started to leave via floo, one by one. Andromeda carried a sleeping Teddy away, while Victoire stirred lightly in Bill's arms as they disappeared through the green flames. Finally Harry and Ginny were hugging Hermione and Ron goodbye as well. The only two that remained behind were Arthur and Molly. Molly wrapped her arms around her daughter one more time while Arthur kept slapping Harry's back in a congratulatory manner. They said their goodbyes and soon it was just Harry and Ginny left.

Ginny flopped herself down on the sofa and sighs, her heart feeling warmer after such a lovely evening with her friends and family. Harry came and sat beside her, grabbing her hand with a happy grin plastered on his face. Before she could even say anything however a blindfold strapped itself around her eyes and Ginny had a moment of panic before she relaxed at Harry's touch.

"I've got a surprise for you Mrs. Potter," Harry teased, pulling her gently to her feet.

"Harry, I don't like this, I can't see," she whined.

Harry chuckled and led his wife to the staircase. "Just trust me Gin," he pleaded, tugging at her heartstrings.

Ginny allowed herself to be carefully led up the stairs, reaching for the railing as she climbed each step. She felt herself being dragged through the hallway, finally stopping when Harry placed his hands on her shoulders. She felt herself being directed into one of the rooms.

"Okay, ready?" Harry asked. Ginny could feel his breath close to her lips. She couldn't help but lean forward and place a kiss on his mouth. She felt Harry's hands behind her head as he worked away at the knot on the blindfold. Her eyes started to flutter as light rushed into them as the blindfold was removed. It took her a few seconds for her eyes to adjust but a small gasp escaped her lips as Harry stepped out of the way to reveal the room to her.

"I thought it was high time to do something with this room," Harry whispered. Ginny grabbed his hand as she walked around the room.

The walls were painted sea foam green, and had pictures of brooms racing along a white stripe in the middle of the walls. There was a small bookcase that had pictures of both Harry and Ginny's families and days at Hogwarts. She stepped further into Sirius' room and made her way to the small crib in the opposite corner of the room. She traced her hand along the smooth white wooden rails. In the crib was a small stuffed dragon. Above the crib was a mobile. As she watched the shapes swirl above the crib she looked to Harry when she realized what each shape represented. There were miniature silver animals floating through the air. There was a stag and doe, a dog, a wolf, another stag, and finally a horse that all danced around each other.

"I made some modifications to the Patronus spell. I've managed to get the form of each of these to interact with each other, and in fact Kingsley has assured me that not only do they take the form of our patronuses, they also add some protection, not just against Dementors, but dark magic in general," Harry explained.

Ginny felt hot tears stream down her face as she threw her arms around Harry's neck. "It's perfect Harry. I, I couldn't have asked for a better husband," she cried.

"And I couldn't have asked for a more perfect wife Ginny," Harry said as he pulled her close. He too felt hot tears fall along his cheeks. "I think, I think Sirius would have wanted this," he whispered, holding his wife tight against him.

Ginny nodded and kissed Harry's cheek. "I know he would have Harry, it's wonderful."

Harry blushed as he pulled away and scratched the back of his head. "It's not finished, but I knew you might want to add a few things to it yourself, I figured maybe we can go shopping when the summer season is done for you," Harry said.

Ginny nodded and kissed her husband on the lips, a little more intensely than before. Harry returned the passionate kiss and scooped Ginny into his arms, carrying her down the hall to their bedroom. It was the first night a long time where neither of them wanted to sleep, instead enjoying the company of the one they loved with their entire being. Harry placed a kiss on Ginny's stomach, and with the flick of his wand, the light disappeared.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: SOOOOO? Aren't they cute :')**


	14. Strawberry Wine

**A/N:** I can't stop writing it seems. This chapter was going to have more in it, but then I realized this was chapter-worthy as is, so I cut it off. The other part will come in the next chapter and probably fits better there anyway. So... this was quite fun to write as well, I hope you enjoy it! Again, comments etc are greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or ideas created by J.K Rowling.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Thirteen:<span> _Strawberry Wine_**

Hermione tapped her fingers on the edge of the bench as she waited in the lobby for Malfoy. She briefly recalled the night prior and couldn't help but grin at her friends' new found happiness, though a small part made her feel even lonelier than she had before. She knew it wasn't up to her friends to provide her with happiness, but Hermione couldn't help but feel she lacked something in her life. She often wondered if maybe she and Ron tried harder, they could have a life together, but now, now they were just too different. Where Hermione shied away from the limelight, Ron reveled in. They seemed to only argue more and more, and while at first it fueled their passion for each other, they both realized they seemed to be having the same arguments over and over. They were bored. There was nothing in Ron to stir the fire in Hermione's heart, and Hermione just couldn't give what Ron desired either, a wife.

He had proposed before, only six months into dating each other. Hermione reasoned with him that it was much too soon, and while he eventually agreed, she knew he was still hurt. They stayed together for another six months before they decided it just wasn't working for either of them. They still loved each other, but they both now knew it was strictly platonic. Hermione sighed as she thought about how if they had made it work where she would be right now. She pictured herself at home tending to the house, chasing a young child around the room. She shook the image from her mind. While she one day wanted children and to have a family, but she also knew she wanted to start a career for herself. And not one based on fame. She wanted a career based strictly on merit alone. That was how she managed through her years at Hogwarts, and that was how she intended to live the rest of her life.

Her thoughts were shaken as a familiar voice called to her. "Earth to Granger," the voice drawled.

Hermione snapped her head up and couldn't help but smirk at the sight of Draco Malfoy before her. "You're late," she said coolly, but without the usual bite in her tone.

Draco shrugged and instead of giving a response he held out his hand to her. Reluctantly, she took it and let him pull her to her feet. She quickly removed her hand from his as she felt the familiar tingle in her skin when she was finally standing. "Now, I know that pub near your house is a favourite of ours, but I think after last time maybe we should go somewhere else," he suggested as they made their way to the fireplaces.

"And do you have a place in mind?" Hermione questioned, trying to sound disinterested.

Draco laughed at her attempts to act casual, but quickly pretended he hadn't noticed. "I do," he smirked as he pulled her into the fireplace.

"No funny business this time Malfoy," she glowered just before feeling the familiar pull of traveling via floo network.

When they arrived, her head was spinning as she tried to gather herself. "Where are we?" she frowned, looking at the unfamiliar room before her.

"My flat," he shrugged, dropping himself down to the sofa near the fireplace.

Hermione crossed her arms and opened her mouth to scold him but found her tongue suddenly tied. She glared at Draco who was laughing, twirling his wand in his hand. She quickly reversed the jinx and marched over to him, poking him in the chest with her wand. "What are you playing at Malfoy?"

He tossed his feet onto his small coffee table and summoned two bottles of butterbeer. He placed one bottle on the table and opened the other, taking a small sip before resting it on his lap. "Thought we could relax here for a bit before we went out, it is a bit early you know," he drawled, taking another sip of his drink.

Hermione was about to reply but as she recalled the time she resigned to the chair opposite the sofa when she decided she wasn't in any danger, not here at least. She grabbed the other butterbeer from the table and opened the bottle quickly. "Why the hell not," she muttered to herself as she took a long gulp of the drink. She sighed as the drink trickled down her throat.

"That's the spirit," he said rather sarcastically.

The two sat in silence for quite a while and Hermione used this time to look around the room. She had to admit it was a lot more modest then she would have expected. The room seemed to have a natural feel to it. The walls were white, apart from one accent wall that was covered in dark stained wood that gave it a cabin feel. She also noted that the coffee table was a rough cut of an actual tree. It was shaped to the grains and seemed to flow along the same length as the sofa. Her focus then turned to the sofa, it was a simple black leather two-seat, and on it sat the last person she ever expected to be enjoying a drink with, Draco Malfoy. She couldn't stop herself from glancing at his appearance. He had his head tilted back and his eyes closed, but her eyes traced the outline of his sharp jaw, along his neck and shoulders. She wondered when he had grown up. Despite looking a little worn thin from no doubt years of hell, he still managed to mature into a fully grown man. Gone was the stringy boy of her youth.

"See something you like Granger?" Draco said with a smirk, his eyes still closed.

Hermione tried to stop the blush growing on her face, but it was useless. Instead she opted to change the subject. "Actually yes," she started, causing Draco's head to shoot forward and eyes widen, "I was wondering where you got that table," she explained honestly.

Draco laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Oh, er, I made it," he said awkwardly as he picked at the label on his drink.

"Really?" Hermione gasped as she left her seat and sat on the ground next to the table. She traced her hands along the wood grain. "When did you learn how to-"

Draco put his feet on the floor and leaned towards her, watching as her hands traced the table he had made one summer. "What can I say, natural talent," he teased, but his voice faltered, losing the confidence he usually had.

Hermione noticed a hitch in his voice but decided to ignore it. He obviously was quite shy about his particular talent for woodworking, but she knew she had to give credit where it was due. "Well it's beautiful," she smiled. "And so is the wall over there, I'm assuming that was you as well?" She smiled when he nodded in response. They sat silent for a moment as Hermione mulled something over in her mind. She knew it was a dangerous and highly private thing to ask, but her curiosity seemed to have a habit of outweighing her morals, and this time was no different. "Would you mind if I see the rest of your flat?" she asked hesitantly, instantly dropping her gaze to her hands. She didn't expect him to agree, but she had to ask. She was exceedingly curious about the wizard in front of her. She had no idea how he was living his life lately, and she figured it would be good to get to know the man that she was asking help from. But she still knew not to get her hopes up in regards to Draco Malfoy.

However, she was surprised by him yet again when he gave her his famous Malfoy grin. He raised an eyebrow and mocked her. "Are you asking for a tour Granger?" He couldn't stop the devilish grin on his face. "Well, how rude of me," he feigned shock. "Allow me," he said politely as he rose to his feet and offered his hand to her for the second time that day.

Hermione didn't hesitate to take it this time, laughing as he pulled her to her feet. She lightly shoved him away when she finally got to her feet. "I'm just curious to see if the great Draco Malfoy is as perfect as he presumes to be," she scoffed. She briefly hoped he hadn't noticed she called him by his first name—not really as she had said his full name, so it didn't really count—but she still worried he had caught it.

"Didn't know we were on a first name basis Granger," he teased.

_Shit_ she thought to herself. "We're not," she scowled as she followed him through to the next room.

She glanced around and thought it was a rather plain looking room and told him so.

"Yeah, well, I don't have many dinners as you can imagine," he mumbled as he led her away from the dining room.

"Why not?" she asked innocently.

"You know why," he muttered, wanting this conversation to end.

Sensing the terseness in his voice she dropped the topic and instead poked her head into the kitchen. She gasped at the large windows that filled the room with light. She let her hands trace along the granite counter top, stopping as she reached the sink. "Do you do a lot of cooking?" she asked.

"Not really," he shrugged.

She couldn't stop herself from opening the closest cupboards. She was shocked to see them almost bare except for half a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. She turned back to Draco and leaned back against the counter. "Do you know how to cook?" she asked concerned.

Draco laughed and jeered at her. "Of course I know how to cook Granger," he spat, "I just… don't," he added with a small smile after.

"Oh," Hermione noted. "Well, I suppose that's okay."

"Mhmm."

They stood in silence for a minute before Draco let out a small sigh. "Okay let's stop being awkward and go back to being somewhat friendly," he suggested, surprising Hermione, yet again.

"Oh-Okay," she stammered.

"What did I just say?" he smiled.

"Shove off Malfoy," she laughed.

"That's better," he grinned. "Now come on," he said as he gripped her wrist dragging to the staircase. "You've got to see the best part."

Hermione was about to protest, saying she really didn't think his bedroom could be considered the best part of the house, but abruptly shut out her thoughts, unsure of why she even considered that he would show her that. She froze however as he opened a door to none other than his bedroom. "Um, Malfoy," she started but stopped when after a short glance he shut the door again.

"You don't seriously think so little of me that I would think a bedroom was the coolest room in my house do you?" he smirked.

Finally they arrived at a door and she was thrown into a rather large office. At first it seemed normal, a desk, cauldron, and supplies on one wall, but as she turned around her eyes lit up like a six year old on Christmas morning.

"Thought you might like it," Draco said as he leaned against one of the shelves.

Hermione nodded as she made her way to the immense bookcase that covered the entire wall apart from the small space to allow for the door. She climbed the small ladder to take a look at some of the higher shelves and couldn't help but get lost in the vast titles organized by Subject then Author.

"If you think this is impressive you should see the one at the Manor," he muttered, only breaking out into a laugh as her eyes blew up even larger.

Hermione climbed back down and shook her head in disbelief. "Okay Malfoy, you win," she sighed in defeat.

"Win what?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Your apartment is miles better than mine," she admired.

"Well from what I saw, I'd have to agree—ow!"

Hermione smacked her hand against his shoulder and promptly left the room. "Is it late enough to leave yet? I'm starving," she moaned as she made her way down the stairs, a bemused Draco on her heels.

"Well to be honest, I didn't have a place in mind," he admitted sheepishly.

Hermione rolled her eyes and made to grab her cloak. "Then I might as well head home," she groaned.

"Wait!" Draco near shouted, causing Hermione to freeze as she bent to grab her cloak from the chair where she left it. "Er—we could have food here?" Draco quickly offered.

Hermione dropped her cloak back onto the chair and smiled. She knew the look on Draco's face all too well. It was one she had practice too often in the mirror to erase; the look of lonesomeness. "Sure, but we might have to order in, you don't have a lot to choose from," she suggested as she sat back down.

* * *

><p>Draco clutched at his side to stop himself from having cramps as he roared with laughter, tears even coming to his eyes. He dodged the cushion being thrown his way and wiped his tears away, attempting to gather himself as he stretched his legs out in front of him.<p>

"It wasn't one of my prouder moments," she glared, tempted to fling food in his direction.

"Are you kidding?" Draco asked bemused, "you brewed Polyjuice Potion at age thirteen, before most kids our age even knew what the hell a Boomslang even was! That's something to definitely be proud of," he admired.

"Not when you turn yourself into a cat," she scowled.

Draco held back his laughter this time, only a few chuckles escaping as he spoke. "T-true, but still brilliant."

Hermione couldn't stop the smile that grew, and even allowed herself to laugh at the situation. After all, looking back on it now, it was quite funny. She wasn't sure where this version of Draco had come from, but she decided she actually sort of enjoyed it. He wasn't half bad, and definitely could hold an intelligent conversation, which gods know she was desperately in need of. "Well, like I said, we were certain you were the heir of Slytherin, we had to find out some way," she shrugged, turning her attention back to her Thai food.

They both sat on the floor; their legs sprawled out in front of them as they recalled memories from their childhood days at Hogwarts, back when they were both still so innocent. Back when death was something that only happens in old age or scary stories. They both avoided heavier topics from their years, knowing full well they both had enough haunts in their years to last a lifetime of nightmares, instead sticking to safe and somewhat funny topics.

Hermione rest her head back on the seat of the chair behind her and sighed, a soft smile on her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she truly enjoyed herself for no reason whatsoever than to just do so. Sure, she had plenty of happy times with Harry and Ron or Ginny, but most of those as of late were in regards to some major life event happening. This was enjoyment for the sake of enjoyment, and Hermione knew she was desperate for it.

"So what was dinner all about last night?" Malfoy asked curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, Harry and Ginny are having a baby," she mentioned lazily.

Draco's face twisted as he thought of a mini-Potter running around. "Perfect," he said with a roll of his eyes. Just what the world needed, spawn of Saint Potter causing havoc on the wizarding world. The press was going to have a field day with this one. "Can't wait to find out what rules his kid will get away with, simply for being The Golden Boy's child," he snorted.

Hermione rolled her eyes and flicked a bean sprout at his face. Draco glared at her but ignored it as he continued to eat his noodles. "He did save your life you know," she said with her right eyebrow high on her forehead.

Draco laughed and shrugged. "I know, and I'm grateful to all of you for it, doesn't mean I have to like the guy," he added.

Hermione knew this wasn't her argument to have so she too went back to eating her food. The two finished their meals in silence and sent away their empty boxes. "Another drink?" Draco offered and conjured two glasses this time as Hermione nodded. She also watched a bottle of wine float through the air towards them. Draco turned to see Hermione's disapproving expression before rolling his eyes. "Lighten up Granger, I did say you needed to have a drink, so here," he said as he offered her a glass of wine.

She took the drink and swirled it around before taking a small sip. She wasn't much of a wine drinker, but she had to admit it wasn't half bad. "You've got good taste," she mentioned before taking another sip.

"Comes with the territory of being a Malfoy," he shrugged as he poured his own glass. Draco looked hesitantly at Hermione and couldn't help but notice there were still crease lines on her forehead, no doubt a result of overstress from her job. "So what exactly happened that night?" Draco asked hesitantly.

Hermione knew perfectly well what night he was referring to, and her body slowly went rigid as he mentioned it. She shook her head and traced her finger around the rim of the glass.

"Please?" Draco almost regretted saying, for a Malfoy never begged, but the look on her face told him to bite his tongue.

Hermione sighed as she reconciled to tell him the events of that night. "Well, after I left you at the pub, I went home. I felt something wasn't quite right, so I checked my wards and sure enough they were tampered with. Kingsley tells me that if I had entered the flat, I would have been immobilized immediately," she began as a shiver ran down her spine. "Well, anyway, I sent a Patronus off to Kingsley and Harry and the others, but before I could do anything else, I felt myself being dragged into the alley beside my house. I scorched his hands and managed to get away, but found myself stuck in a constant battle of escaping and being dragged back again and again. I'm almost certain he used the Cruciatus Curse on me once, though it wasn't very strong. Finally Harry and everyone showed up, but not before he managed to stun me and escape." Hermione finished her story and returned to her drink, finished the rest of it one go.

Draco leaned over and instantly refilled her glass, his hand slightly shaking at the thought of her under the same curse she suffered many years ago. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Why?" she shook her head.

"For being a prat at the pub, I should've been nicer, and then maybe I could've been there to help? I don't know," he muttered.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "Like I said to you that night, I can take care of myself Malfoy."

Draco smiled and quickly agreed. Something was nagging at his mind however and it only took a moment to figure it out. "Do you think it was one of Bellatrix's?"

Hermione nodded. "At first I tried to tell myself it was just a random attacker, but I know she must be behind it."

"I wonder why he didn't just kill you, I mean, if Bellatrix wants you dead, I'm sure it's not another Potter-Voldemort situation again," he wondered aloud.

Hermione sat in thought for a moment, the question brewing in her mind. "I've never actually thought about that to be honest," she admitted, suddenly also curious as to why he hadn't tried to kill her.

"We can worry about that later, tonight's not supposed to be about worrying anyway," he smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He finished off his second glass of wine and poured himself, as well as Hermione a third. He quickly summoned a second bottle, dismissing her protests as they sipped on their glasses. He couldn't help but find himself enjoying her company. He knew it was starting to get late, but he really didn't want her to leave, knowing full well what the lonely nights often brought him. So he was determined to keep her there as long as possible, no matter what it took.

"So tell me more about this fundraiser," he asked. Her eyes lit up and he smirked as he knew it was a topic she was more than likely to immerse herself in for a few hours. He enchanted the new bottle of wine to automatically refill their glasses when they were empty and stretched out on the floor to listen intently as Granger began to explain the concept to him.

"Well you see, in many houses, Witches and Wizards have no regard for their elves, believing them to be lesser creatures. And while I no longer think it wrong for families to own house-elves, after seeing a few cases where the Elf was genuinely happy, and was being treated almost as family by their owners, I do not approve of the abuse many of the other elves face. While one part of my job is aiming to help build up a contractual relationship for Elves that they can agree upon with their owners, my major project right now is to build a center for Elves. A place they can go when they've been abandoned or abused to seek help and rehabilitation. A safe-house, if you will, to prevent any harm to come to them. It can even be a place for out of work Elves to stay until they can find themselves a job. I also hope to eventually use it as a school so they can learn from a range of interests, and learn these skills from each other, not from a witch or wizard; I'm trying to promote a sense of community for them. A place they can feel welcome when they are not welcome anywhere else. And this fundraiser, well it's the first step in achieving this goal to build this center. You see, I found the ideal location, but their asking for 50,000 Galleons. And while many will think that's not bad, it is when you still have to consider building and renovation costs, landscaping, stocking supplies, furniture, and all the other necessities to run a successful center." Hermione let out an exasperated sigh as she finished rambling about her work. She took another long sip of her wine, grateful when it started to automatically refill when she was finished.

Draco stared in disbelief at the entire story Hermione had just told. He had to hand it to her, her aspirations were bold. "It's going to take a lot to convince some of these older families to join the cause," he mentioned.

"I know," she sighed, clear frustration written on her face. "I just wish they weren't all bloody bigots with huge sticks up their arseholes," she cursed.

Draco laughed, not sure if he had ever heard Hermione Granger use such words. "Well, you can count me in," he grinned.

Hermione looked him with doubt. "You're one of those bigots," she teased.

Draco pretended to look wounded, placing a hand over his heart. "Ouch Granger, if you must know, I actually genuinely cared for Dobby. Sure, maybe I blamed him anytime I accidentally broke something, but he was also willing to actually play with me from time to time when my parents were busy with their 'socials'" he shrugged.

Hermione stared at Draco in disbelief and shook her head. "You just keep surprising me," she sighed. "Fine, well, I guess you can come," she invited.

"Well now I don't want to," he grinned.

"It's an open bar," she countered.

"I'm back in."

"Drunk," she teased.

"Fun sucker," he mocked.

"Really? That's all you've got?" Hermione asked with a chuckle. "Well, on that note, I really should get going. I've got a lot of letters to write tomorrow, requesting more sponsors for the auction." Hermione got to her feet and giggled as she wobbled slightly. "Whoops," she laughed as she sat down in the chair to regain her focus.

Draco couldn't help but notice his heart flutter as she giggled. He was sure he had never heard as pleasant a sound in his entire life, not that he ever got the chance to hear too many pleasant sounds to begin with, but that wasn't the point. He couldn't even remember the point. He glanced down to the two empty bottles of wine on the floor. Getting drunk, that must have been the point. He got to his feet and offered Hermione a hand once again. He shivered as she placed her hand in his and slowly got to her feet and steadied herself, this time not removing her hand for at least a minute. Why was he counting? He wasn't sure.

"Well, you be safe," he warned.

Hermione nodded with a smile. "I hate you," she smirked.

"Still?"

Hermione nodded. "I'm always going to hate you."

Draco frowned and dropped his hands. "Why?" he asked, afraid of what the answer would be.

"Right now, I honestly can't remember, but I can't even remember what time it is, Merlin is that the time?" she announced as she looked back at the clock. "I really should get going."

"Why do you hate me?" he pleaded.

"I just do," she shrugged, "But that doesn't mean I don't like you," she smiled as she fumbled her way into the fireplace. She dropped some floor powder and called out her address.

Draco watched, a smile lingering on his lips as it settled into his mind what she had admitted to before disappearing in the green flames. He knew she wouldn't remember it the next day, or if she did she would never mention it, but at least it had been said. She actually enjoyed his company. Draco started to feel that maybe he wasn't so lonely anymore. He also started to feel dizzy, so he dropped onto the couch and closed his eyes, determined to stop the spinning. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.


	15. Wishing Well

**A/N:** Eek, this is the longest chapter yet! Mostly because each section wouldn't stand alone as a single chapter, but oh well. Enjoy!

Also, I do not own anything made by J.K. Rowling. It's all hers. I just like to mix it up a bit.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Fourteen:<span> _Wishing Well_**

**Draco's POV**

"_Oh __From the marshy bogs of Queerditch__  
><em>_Grew a sport so fine and fair__  
><em>_In which each witch and wizard__  
><em>_Would take flight through the air.__"_

Draco Malfoy was positively, absolutely, wonderfully and completely the happiest drunk in all of England, no all of the world, he thought as he sang the popular Quidditch chant. He sloshed his drink around with his hand around his best mate's neck as the two swayed side to side.

"_BEAT BACK THOSE BLUDGERS BOYS_," Draco screamed with a laugh.

"_And chuck those quaffles here_," Blaise finished, equally as inebriated as his friend.

"_No team can ever best the best of Puddlemere_!," the two chant in unison, their heads nodding at each syllable. It was safe to say that neither of them was going to make it home without tossing their cookies, so to speak.

Draco laughed as he stumbled into a chair and sat at the bar table, watching his friend wobble his way into the seat across from him.

"Happy Birthday mate!" Blaise slurred as he ordered another round of drinks for each of them and the surrounding crowd that had joined in on the fun. The muggles in the bar had no idea what these two strange men were singing about, but there wasn't a single sober person in that bar, so they could sing about Voldemort for all they cared and would get a few cheers out of the crowd. As the drinks were passed around, they all cheered once more in thanks to the generous two lads that had started a massive party.

Draco took a long sip of his drink and happily grinned at his friend. "You're the best, you know that? You really are," Draco drawled.

Blaise shook his head and poked his friend in the chest, "no, you are."

Draco laughed and took another drink. "You know who else is pretty cool? Like the coolest?" Draco asked.

Blaise shook his head and took another sip of his drink.

"Granger."

Blaise immediately spat his drink across the table, the contents spraying across Draco's face.

"Oy! Watch it mate!" Draco scowled as he wiped his face.

"I'm sorry, but I thought you just said Hermione Granger was the coolest?" Blaise asked doubtfully.

Draco nodded his head with a grin. "Okay maybe not the coolest, she's still a smart-ass, but when you get her away from Weasleby and Pothead, she's actually kind of… well… interesting. Did you know she once used a time-turner in year three so that she could take more than the required classes? I mean, that's mental, and completely, um, yeah, but no wonder she constantly kicked my ass in grades, fuck man, we never had a chance," he sighed as he took another sip of his drink. He looked at the contents and briefly wondered what he was drinking anyway, but shrugged it from his mind.

"You fancy her?" Blaise asked incredulously.

Draco's face scrunched as if he had just smelt something foul and shook his head. "You're barking mad Blaise, I merely said she's not half bad. Certainly a step up from her sidekicks," he said trying to sound convincing, but his mind was suddenly drawn to the thought of what she might look like under her robes. _I must be drunk if I'm thinking of that,_ he thought and tried to take his mind off of his betraying thoughts.

"Well, just be careful, don't want Bellatrix finding out you're spending time with a muggle-born or else she'll make your death even more painful," Blaise warned, with a slight teasing tone.

Draco frowned and stated to sulk. "Way to ruin a perfectly happy birthday by bringer HER up," he scoffed and spitefully drank the rest of his drink.

Blaise laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "I'm only joking, now how about another round?"

Draco's eyes brightened as his friend ordered a few more drinks for the pair of them.

"_We sit and watch in – hiccup – wonder, at each game the players play, and dream our team will reign supreme, thus we cannot help but say..." _Draco hummed the rest of the song as he stumbled his way back to his flat. He paused at what looked like a familiar room and couldn't help but stare at the bushy haired figure moving across the front window. "Oy Granger!" he shouted, throwing a rock at the girl's window, not entirely sure what his plan would be when she noticed, but with a drunken confidence knew he'd know what do, he hoped.

Hermione jumped at the sound of something bouncing off her wards. She heard her name being called from outside and had a brief moment of panic, but as she looked out her front window she couldn't help but roll her eyes. There swaying on the street in front of her house was Draco Malfoy. While she was irritated at him for causing a stir at this late an hour, she couldn't help but feel curious as to why he was there. Over the course of the week, she found herself almost, friendly with the man. She knew it was mostly out of necessity to get the job done, but still here she found herself walking down her front steps to go see what he was up to.

"Malfoy, what are you bloody well doing here?" she groaned as she walked up to the wizard.

Draco rocked back and forth but before he could mutter a response, he felt himself keel over and clutch his stomach as he expelled the entire contents from the bar onto the cobblestone.

Hermione jumped back, just missing the spew as it splashed on the stone. "Merlin's beard Malfoy, you're a mess, come here," she scolded as she wrapped an arm around his waist and led him back to her flat. When they finally managed to scramble through to the sofa in her living room, she pulled out her wand and performed a quick scourgify to clean the mess. "Wait here," she ordered as she made her way to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. "What on earth were you thinking getting this drunk Malfoy?" she asked as she handed him the water.

He took a small sip and smiled as the cold drink seemed to clean his mind slightly. "Birf-day," he hiccuped with a lazy grin.

"Oh right! I forgot! I'm sorry," she suddenly felt slightly guilty, but with a second look she knew he wouldn't remember or care in the morning anyway, so her guilt quickly disappeared. "Well you certainly had fun," she commented, taking the seat beside him.

He nodded his head. "The best," he slurred.

"Why did you come here?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged as if it were obvious. "Saw you in the window," he fluttered his eyes.

Hermione groaned and rolled her eyes. "I meant, why did you call for me?"

"Cuz, I saw you in the window," he explained again, not sure what part she didn't understand.

Hermione shook her head and couldn't help but laugh.

"You 'ave a pretty smile," he commented and took another sip of his water.

Hermione blushed slightly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Um, thanks?" she said.

"Welcome," he smiled. "Now aren't you going to say I have a pretty smile?" he asked, pointing to his own sloppy grin.

Hermione chuckled and put her hands on her hips. "Oh, so you only compliment a girl when you're fishing for compliments yourself eh?" she mock scolded.

"Mhmm," he smiled happily, his eyes glossy.

"Oh! Malfoy, no! What?" she worried as he suddenly fell over, his head landing in her lap. She was about turn him over to make sure he was okay when she suddenly heard the soft snores coming from the mop of blonde hair now nestled in her lap. "Oh for fuck sakes," she cursed as she squeezed out from under him. "Great, just great," she muttered.

Hermione summoned a blanket from the cupboard and drew it over his sleeping body before cleaning up the spilled water and glass that now lay on the floor. Glancing at the time she knew if she too didn't get some sleep, she would be extremely tired for her next day at work. So with a quick check to see if he was alright, she made her way down the hall to her room and snuggled into her bed, but not before double checking that her door was locked properly.

* * *

><p><strong>Hermione's POV<strong>

A few days later, on the morning of the fundraiser, Hermione found herself running haphazardly around London, bouncing between the Ministry, her home, the hall where the gala was going to be, and Diagon Alley. She even found herself once or twice popping by Harry and Ginny's to ask for this or that. Currently she was in the hall making sure all the decorations were in place and all the items up for auction were prepared to be put on display.

Surprisingly she had managed to obtain quite a few items. George donated a rather large supply of products from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Fred's name, which almost made Hermione cry. Ginny had managed to get two sets of four tickets to a Quidditch match. Harry had personally bought a variety of items that Hermione had wanted to refuse some of them because they were much too expensive, but reluctantly accepted them as Harry had threatened to bewitch them follow her around until she accepted them. Madam Malkin's had offered two gift certificates. One of the certificates was for a free re-sizing and the other was for 200 Galleons worth of store credit. There were several other various items donated from different stores and some even given from families. But there were three objects that had come from an anonymous source that even still she was stunned by.

They had arrived two days earlier with a note attached saying "For the Auction," with no sign of who had sent them. They were sitting on her desk wrapped neatly in parchment. At first she had to have Kingsley check them for any curses, but once they were cleared, she was even more confused as before. It would have made sense if they were really a trick to try and attack her again, but this, this was just strange.

Hermione couldn't help but admire the three pieces before her once again. Inside a rather large velvet box was a beautiful ornate necklace that no doubt had to be centuries old. There was a single red ruby tear drop in the middle encased in intricate gold that twisted around like branches. On either side of the ruby were black zircon gemstones woven within the gold branches.

The second object was an old piece of tapestry, and Hermione could barely contain herself with the knowledge she had it in her presence. She gently traced her fingers along the intricate design and marveled as she held in her hands the last piece of the Bayeux Tapestry. It has been missing in the muggle world since before the 16th century. She briefly wondered if perhaps the reason no one found it was because it was here, in the magical world.

Finally, Hermione picked up a stack of hand written letters. When she first came across Franz Kafka's letters written to Dora Diamant, she couldn't dare herself to read some of them. But as usual, her curiosity got the best of her. After all, in her hands were 35 missing love letters and notebooks that disappeared when the Gestapo raided the latter's home in the 1930's. Hermione sighed as she read each romantic note, and could only imagine having a love as strong as theirs. While she knew this piece would not garner as much attention as the other two pieces would in the magical world, she didn't mind, she even vaguely hoped no one would bid on them. She knew the historical significance alone was worth millions in muggle money, and she briefly considered turning it in to a muggle museum, but couldn't help but feel attached to the letters. Still, she reluctantly put them up for auction, just in case the mysterious donor showed up and noticed the letters weren't on display.

Hermione sighed as she quickly placed each piece in the required location before giving a few more orders to the staff that helped her set up. Satisfied with the progress so far, she quickly checked the kitchens to ensure all the food was in order. Finally by 2pm, she whisked away to her flat to begin getting ready herself.

As she sat on the floor of her closet she groaned at the mess around her. She had strewn all her clothes about in a fuss when she couldn't find anything suitable to wear. It was nearing 4pm and she had three hours to shower, get ready, and arrive at the hall to make any last minute fixes before guests started arriving at 8.

Hermione ran down the hall to her fireplace and threw her head into the fireplace as she threw the floo powder into the flames. "Ginny? Emergency!" she called out.

The sound of feet running into the room echoed through the flames and Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the concerned expression on her friend's face. "What is it? Are you okay?" Ginny worried.

"I don't have anything to wear tonight," Hermione cried.

Ginny's anxious expression quickly turned into a look of determination. "Right, I'll be over in ten minutes," she nodded.

Hermione sat back and waited, sure enough ten minutes later her friend appeared through her fireplace with a pile of clothes bundled in her arms. Ginny ran through the room and grabbed Hermione by the wrist, dragging her back to her bedroom.

Ginny had Hermione try on outfit after outfit, each of them taking turns nixing one or the other for whatever reason.

"You really should get a new wardrobe Hermione," Ginny sighed as she sorted through the girl's clothes. "You'd think after all the banquets dedicated to the heroes of the war you'd have more to wear than just this."

Hermione shrugged. "I donated most of the stuff I wore knowing I probably wouldn't wear them again. Plus you know Skeeter would never let me live it down if I was caught wearing an outfit twice," she chuckled.

Ginny nodded in agreement as she pulled out a loose lilac gown. "Try this on," she suggested, handing the dress to Hermione.

Hermione smiled at the thin fabric and gently pulled the dress over her head. The loose skirt fell down her waist and hung just below her knees. The fabric was flowing chiffon, with a lace bodice, open back and lace sleeves that came just past her elbows. It was a little casual, but still made her look elegant enough to seem important. Hermione twirled around and smiled with approval.

"You look wonderful," Ginny grinned. "Now go shower!" she demanded as Hermione gently took the dress off and placed in on the bed.

Hermione scuttled into the bathroom and quickly showered. She wrapped a towel around her body and made her way back to her room where Ginny was set up with a chair in front of a large mirror. "Sit," her red-haired friend said. Hermione laughed as she sat in the seat.

Ginny quickly spelled Hermione's hair dry and began to work away at the curls to make sure they fell softly down her shoulders. She added two small braids on the side that gathered her front hairs out of her face, tying off at the back of her head, letting the ends loosely fall at the back of her head. While Ginny worked away at her hair, Hermione light applied some makeup, sweeping on some mascara and gently swiping a pale lipstick across her lips. She added some blush to her cheeks last and smiled at her work satisfyingly.

Ginny was finally finished with Hermione's hair and she quickly put on the purple dress. Ginny found a delicate necklace to hang around Hermione's neck that fell just perfectly above her chest. Hermione placed in the matching earrings while Ginny searched for some shoes. "How about one of these?" the girl asked while holding up a pair of black flats in one hand and white heels in the other.

Hermione considered her options, knowing she's be more comfortable in flats, but the heels were much nicer, plus they weren't very tall, so she wouldn't have sore feet by the end of the night. "Heels," she decided briefly and caught the pair as Ginny threw them her way. "Thanks," Hermione smiled as she slipped her feet inside her shoes. "For everything Gin, it really helps a lot, and thanks for the dress. I've never seen you wear it before."

"I bought it a week ago, and hoped to wear it for Harry's birthday, but, well… you know," she said with a grin as she placed her hand on her stomach. "Besides, it looked better on you anyway," she complimented her friend.

"Thank you again, now you should get going and get ready yourself," Hermione teased as she shooed the girl back to the fireplace.

"You're right, well, I'll see you later," Ginny waved as she disappeared through the green flames.

Hermione quickly grabbed her small beaded bag and double checked she had everything before she herself left the flat as well

* * *

><p>"First of all, on behalf of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, I would personally like to thank you all for coming," Hermione announced to the crowd. "As many of you are aware, there are many Elves living under less than ideal circumstances, facing abuse and prejudice, in many cases from the very families they serve. Tonight we invite you here to enjoy each others company over food and drinks, but as well to give you the opportunity to bid on various items donated by many sponsors. The proceeds from tonight's event will all directly go towards the creation of Dobby's Center for Elfish Welfare. This is a project very near and dear to my heart that will allow for Elves to seek the services they require to ensure they have a healthy and fulfilling life. So without further ado, Bon Appétit!"<p>

As Hermione finished her introduction, food magically appeared on the tables before the guests, and the glasses filled with champagne. Hermione made her way to her own table and sat down between Ginny and Neville. There was an awkward silence at the table and Hermione knew it was due to the tension that grew between Ron and Draco, but she knew neither of them would dare ruin this night for her. She invited Draco to sit at their table, and explained to her friends about the progress they were having with the prophecy. She didn't explain however, the recent visit to her flat he made. Ginny, Luna and Neville had accepted her reasoning, and Harry knew to trust his best friend, but Ron was still a little doubtful.

"Well the place looks beautiful Hermione," Luna's dreamy voice carried across the table. The other's nodded in agreement.

"Thank you Luna and thank you again for your advertisement in the Quibbler," Hermione replied.

Luna nodded but began to stare dreamily to the other side of the room. Hermione couldn't help but snort at the confused appearance on Draco's face as he sat next to the wistful girl. After Luna's icebreaker, the conversation broke out at the table nicely. Ron was grimacing as Luna no doubt told him stories of some mystical creature. Ginny was excitedly describing Harry's surprise to Hermione while Harry silently blushed. Most surprising of all, Neville and Draco seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation. Over what, Hermione couldn't guess, but she was happy that they seemed to be getting along nicely.

The courses transitioned nicely, each course appearing only minutes after the previous was finished. When dessert was over, the tables cleared and Hermione made her way back to the front of the room. "I hope you all enjoyed your meal, now before we get the auction started, we're going to clear away the tables and open up the floor so all of you can mingle and get to know one another. We'll be starting the auction in about thirty minutes, but I will announce when it's time to take your seats once again. Before that time however, you are more than welcome to browse the many objects on display to see if there is anything that catches your interest," she announced with a twinkle in her eye. "Thank you," she said. With the wave of her wand, the tables all shifted slightly to open a space in the middle of the floor.

As Hermione made her way back to her friends, she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her around. "Well done Granger," Draco spoke softly, a small smirk on his face.

"Thanks," Hermione smiled. She quickly took this time to take in the man before her. He seemed to be wearing a muggle suit, which she felt rather odd, but it suited him. He wore black, slim trousers and a black blazer over a light grey shirt. His shirt was slightly unbuttoned at the collar, as he wore no tie, opting for a more casual look. His hands were tucked into his pockets as he smirked down at her and she couldn't help but blush.

"You've cleaned up well," she commented with approval.

"Thanks, so do you," he replied. "You should get back to your friends though, I'll see you later," he smiled as he made his way to the table of goods to be bid upon.

Hermione watched him walk away before making her way back to the crowd of smiling faces. She spent a few minutes chatting with her friends, before making her way around the room, trying to talk to as many people as possible about her cause. It lifted her spirits to see so many people actively interested in what she had to say. There were a few members of the board that weren't impressed, and she guessed they were only here to see this project crash and burn, but she was glad they attended regardless. She didn't see Mr. Trunkle anywhere, good riddance, and suddenly felt hopeful that the evening was going to be a success. Occasionally she found herself glancing over to Malfoy, who seemed to be conversing with as many people as she had been. She decided to find out what he was finding so interesting and made her way across the floor as graceful as she could.

"You seem to be quite popular tonight," she said with a smirk.

Draco turned with a smile at the familiar voice. "I'm always popular," he shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets again.

"Not lately," she couldn't help but speak the truth. She was grateful however that he knew she didn't mean anything by it. "What were you and Neville speaking about earlier? I thought you hated each other," she asked amused.

Draco laughed and picked off two glasses of champagne from a floating tray that glided by. He handed one glass to Hermione who gratefully accepted it. "I used to, but who knew little shaky Neville could grow into a decent and clever bloke," he said.

Hermione had to agree, the Neville she was used to was clumsy and forgetful, but the Neville that they saw now was brave, strong, and currently a professor at Hogwarts. It was quite an impressive transformation, but they all knew how powerful a war could be in changing people.

"I have to say, I'm quite impressed with you as well Granger," he casually mentioned. Hermione couldn't help but blush at his words.

"And I'm impressed you're not stumbling around this room yet, Malfoy," she teased.

It was Draco's turn to blush as he recalled that strange morning he woke up on her sofa. "Yes, well, I think I'm starting to see it's rather, unbecoming, to be constantly drunk. More fun to be occasionally drunk because then who knows where I'll end up," he said with a wink. He took a sip of his champagne before nodding to the witch in front of him. "Looks like you should get things started," he mentioned as he directed her towards the front of the room.

"Oh, yes, right, well, see you later Malfoy," she waved as she rushed to the front of the room. She climbed the steps to the stage to begin the auction and tapped the side of her glass with her wand, causing a loud clang to ring through the room. Everyone slowly made their way to their seats as the tables slowly moved back into their original locations and Hermione smiled as her enchantments all seemed to working fluidly.

"Perfect, I'd like to formally announce the start of our auction. As I bring up each item, you will all get the opportunity to make a bid. The highest bidder will then get to take their prizes home. Any questions?" she paused. When there were no questions she spoke again, "wonderful, now let's begin."

The auction started off with some of the smaller prizes, which all went fairly quickly. Eventually as the value in the prices increased, so did the length of the bidding process. She was surprised to see George's contribution, which was only about 200 Galleons worth of products, go for near 500. Despite the high bidders, she still wasn't sure she would meet the required amount for even the deposit for the property.

Finally she came to the broom that Harry had purchased. "Here we have the Firebolt 360. The latest model in the Firebolt line will be hitting shelves in four months, so the lucky bidder will be the first to own one of these beautiful brooms. I will be starting the bidding off at two thousand Galleons, do we have two thousand Galleons?"

An older woman raised her hand and Hermione smiled as she recognized Ms. Lark. "Good, two thousand five hundred?" Hermione asked.

One by one people began to make their bids, going up in increments of five hundred at a time. When the bid reached five thousand it seemed to be a battle between two people, each only going up a hundred or two at a time. It even went down to sickles and knuts between the two, until the larger of the two seemed defeated. "Okay, so five thousand, eight hundred and fifty Galleons, fourteen sickles and twenty eight knuts," Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the outrageous amount. "Going once, going twice," Hermione was about to motion to the winner when another bid was announced.

"10,000 Galleons," the voice drawled and everyone in the room turned to see the mysterious bidder. Hermione smiled at the familiar voice.

"Don't play games Malfoy," she teased.

"I'm not," he said seriously as he held up a rather large bag of money.

"O-okay," she stuttered. "Anyone else? The bid is at 10,000 Galleons. Going once, twice, and sold to Draco Malfoy," she said as she shook her head in disbelief.

She watched as Draco made his way through the applause to the front of the room, he pulled out a bag from inside the other bag and as she quickly ensured it was all there, she motioned for him to take the broom. "Extension charm I see?" she asked before he walked away.

Draco smiled with a nod. "I may not be popular in the wizarding world, but Gringotts still appreciated my business, so they pulled a few strings. Our family has always made sure to have copious amounts of money on us at all times. It's tough to live lavishly," he teased before making his way to his seat with his prize.

The rest of the items went for a few thousand Galleons a piece. The three mystery donations each made well over 10,000 Galleons each as well.

The necklace went to a rather older looking wizard who was accompanied by a much younger witch for 13,000 Galleons, bringing the grand total so far to 36,000 Galleons, which was still short of what she had needed, but far more than she had expected. Next the tapestry went for even more, a total of 16, 000 Galleons, which really surprised her, but then understood as it seemed to go to a group of witches and wizards she spoke to earlier that owned a museum chalk full of rare and valuable items, muggle or magical. Finally, it was time for the letters.

"Now, I'm not sure how many of have heard of the muggle Franz Kafka. Well, he was a muggle writer in Germany in the early 1900's. During the 20's he was in correspondence with one Dora Diamant, his lover at the time. They had written many love letters to each other over time, and he had even sent her notebooks of some his latest works. However, after his death, and during the 30's when Gestapo officers raided Dora's house, the letters and notebooks disappeared. In the muggle world, these are considered highly valuable and a key piece to history. The letters themselves tell a beautiful story of a man and woman in love and the tragic heartbreak of his death makes it all more prominent. The stories he wrote in those notebooks are would-be classics in literature, and now it is curious what will happen now that they are found. I would like to start the bidding at, let's say, 6,000 Galleons."

There was silence throughout the crowd for a few minutes as everyone considered their options. No one spoke and Hermione's heart sank. "5,000 Galleons," she offered only to be met with silence again. "4,000" she said and finally someone raised their hand from the back of the room.

"4,100," another voice announced from the opposite corner.

Another voice perked up then as well, "4,200," the offered and Hermione couldn't help but groan at the small increments.

"Oh what the hell," she heard a familiar voice groan. "I'll give you another ten thousand," Draco offered with a smirk.

Suddenly another offer spoke up which really surprised Hermione, until she noticed it was Ms. Lark again. "Fifteen thousand," the woman challenged and sent an equally dangerous smirk to Draco.

Draco laughed and shook his head. "Sixteen thousand," he countered.

"Twenty thousand," she said with her left eyebrow high above the other as she stood from her seat.

"Twenty five thousand," Draco growled, now on his feet as well. He smirked with triumph as the woman sat back down, but suddenly panicked as she held a satisfied look on her face.

"Sold, to the very generous Draco Malfoy," Hermione announced happily. She laughed at the look on Draco's face as he trudged his way up the steps.

"Barmy old bat," he mumbled as he handed over another small pouch. "She knew what she was doing," he complained.

Hermione shook her head at Malfoy and couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe you shouldn't be so competitive," she shrugged, happy all the money was there. However, when it was time to hand the letters over, she couldn't help but sigh and look longingly at the stack as he carried it back to his seat. Shaking herself from her distraction she clapped her hands together and faced the crowd again.

"Well, wasn't that exciting? Now let's see, I do believe after everything our grand total is—oh, oh my—" she gasped as it dawned on her how much they had managed to raise. "Our grand total this evening is 77,000 Galleons!" The crowd erupted in applause, even a few cheers from her friends. Tears started to form in her eyes, but she quickly pushed them back as she finished her speech. "I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who attended and took part in the auction, an even bigger thank you to the generous people who donated all these wonderful prizes. Please, give yourselves all a round of applause." She paused as they all clapped in excitement. "Now, I do believe that concludes our evening. We've arranged for an open bar for those of you who wish to stay and mingle for another hour, but you are free to leave whenever you wish. Thank you again, all of you." Hermione announced. She finally made her way from the stage to the floor, letting a few tears finally fall from her face.

She let out a small squeal as Ginny threw her arms around her neck. The two girls jumped in a circle for a moment before Hermione pulled back to hug her other friends in celebration. Harry handed her a glass of champagne as Ron hugged her in congratulations.

"Blimey 'Mione, that's a lot of money," he said as he scratched the back of his head.

"I know, I know!" she stammered excitedly, "that's enough to buy the property, with plenty leftover to go towards renovations and, and," she screamed in enthusiasm, unable to finish her thoughts.

"All thanks to Malfoy, I mean, he spent over 30,000 Galleons tonight," Neville said in amazement.

Hermione laughed as she took a sip of her drink. "I suppose you're right, though I highly doubt he'll miss the money."

"I won't" a voice agreed as Draco joined them from behind Hermione, a drink in his hand. He nodded to the crowd and then smiled down at Hermione. "Thanks for inviting me, it's been fun," he said as he finished his drink. He watched as the glass instantly refilled itself. "You put a lot of work into this huh?" he asked.

"She works on it in her sleep I'm pretty sure," Ginny teased.

"Well if you want to get something done right," Hermione started.

"You have to do it yourself, we know 'Mione," Harry finished with a hint of amusement on his face. "Now waz the dealio with those letters anyway? Looked like you didn't want to give 'em away," he slurred.

"Dealio? Really Harry? How much have you had to drink?" Hermione asked with her arms crossed.

"Drinkin' for two remember," he grinned, forgetting about his earlier question.

"Oh I heard the news," Neville announced, "congratulations you two, who knows, maybe one day I'll be teaching your little one."

"Thanks Neville," Ginny smiled. Ginny started to speak about the excitement of having a child when Hermione felt a hand drag her away from the group.

"Just so you know, I really won't miss that money," Draco admitted.

Hermione smiled up at him and nodded. "I know," she said, understanding what he was really implying. She had figured out from their conversations over the weeks that while he saved his own money he made, he had planned to spend every last penny of his inheritance, trying to rid himself of the 'dirty money' as he called it; hence, the constant drinking.

"And I do appreciate you inviting me, it's been fun oddly enough. I tried to convince Blaise to come, but he was busy apparently," Draco shrugged taking another drink. "Hey, have you found anything else in the diary?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head and took a sip from her glass. "Nothing interesting. Okay, well the entire thing is interesting, but nothing pertaining to our case," she sighed.

Draco raised his brows as she mentioned she found it interesting and tucked that fact away to ask another time. For now, he needed to make his way home; he had a broom he wanted to try.

"Well, I should get going Granger, I've got letters to read and more importantly a brand new broom to ride," he said proudly.

Hermione gave him a quick hug and said her goodbyes before she made her way back to the group. But before she rejoined them she gave one last glance at the enigmatic man that was making his way to the exit, broom in tow.


	16. Lean

**A/N: **Number one: HAPPY NEW YEARS! I can't believe it is 2015! Number two: Since I've been away for a few days, thought I'd grace you with this lovely LONG chapter... It's a doozy, but I think you'll all enjoy it. Number three: Thank you all for your kind, kind words. I really love this story so far and I'm glad you all do too. Anyway, without further ado….

OH and as always, I don't own anything. It's all J.K. Rowling's creation

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Fifteen: <strong>_**Lean**_

The weeks dragged on, and nothing had been heard of Bellatrix Lestrange since the first attack on Hermione that one Saturday evening. It was quiet, and while everyone else was on edge, waiting for something to happen, Hermione was in a world of bliss. She had purchased the property for the center, and building had just begun after they finally got the approval to tear down the original structure. There was even enough money left over to purchase all the furniture and necessities required, plus a few extra luxuries to make the place feel more like a home rather than a shelter. Hermione thought progress was going very well indeed, and the prophecy was currently furthest from her mind as she collapsed to her sofa that sweltering July evening.

Draco's month and a half however was the exact opposite. Where Hermione was satisfied with progress at work, and had no concerns, Draco's workload was becoming increasingly stressful. Each day he spent with Hermione, he seemed to be more and more determined to solve the mystery. He had begun drinking every night once more as the pressure built up inside him. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he read fervently through the books strewn about his coffee table. With a quick cooling charm the Mid-July heat started to dissipate and he felt a little more comfortable sitting there pouring over the current book on ancient magic.

"This is useless," he growled as he threw the book onto the floor, certain he was missing a key piece to the puzzle. He picked up the parchment that held the prophecy again and tried to decipher its words once more, despite having it memorized by now. He finished off his current drink and leaned back in his seat, tapping his fingers against the arm rest. Something caught the corner of his eye and he couldn't stop the smile spreading. Getting up from his seat, he made his way across the room and wrapped his hand around the handle of his new broom. Over the weeks he hadn't gotten as many chances to give it a ride as he had hoped to.

He grabbed the broom and made his way to the back yard, hoping a fly around London would clear his head. As he mounted the broom he cast a quick concealment charm and sped off into the night. The wind rushed through his hair and he suddenly felt without a care in the world. The warm air kissed his skin and he kicked off higher into the clouds, letting out a holler into the air.

As he flew over London, he steered toward the country side to go lower. As he made his descent, he removed the concealment charm and watched as his reflection soared across a pond below. He released one hand and let it trace through the water as he started to slow. Just above the pond he came to a steady halt and hovered only two feet above. He positioned himself so he would be balanced perfectly while lying on his back so he could admire the stars and moon above. It was a warm night, so he was glad he hadn't brought his cloak along.

As he watched the stars he briefly thought of the prophecy and what it could mean by frozen stars, he couldn't recall any reference to stars freezing during Astronomy in school, or during any of his readings. Even Hermione didn't know what they referred to, and Draco knew that if Hermione didn't know, then no one did. As he thought of his bushy haired… friend? Yes, they were friends by this point he supposed, he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at that moment.

He knew she seemed a lot more at ease lately, and he smiled at the thought that he had a part in that by donating quite a bit of money to her little project. He knew her friends were growing more worried about the fact that she didn't seem to care about the threats to her safety. But he figured, there wasn't exactly a threat to her life, so why should she worry.

"Why didn't they kill her anyway," he pondered. His mind drifted back to the prophecy and tried to uncover each word. He nearly fell off his broom, his feet falling into the water, as it suddenly hit him. Draco pulled himself back onto his broom and quickly raced home, not caring if anyone saw him, figuring the only people awake would be too drunk to remember anyhow.

As he reached his door he nearly stumbled into his house as he dropped his broom and summoned for some parchment and a quill. He quickly scrawled three notes and whistled loudly. He watched as a large, regal Eagle Owl swooped in through the open door and perched itself atop the back of one of his dining chairs. He tossed a treat to his owl and handed the letters over to his faithful friend. "These need to be delivered immediately, do you understand?" The owl ruffled its wings in response and took off back into the dark sky.

Draco shut his door and made his way back to his sofa. He quickly poured himself another drink to settle his nerves and shut his eyes. However, for the first time in a while, Draco Malfoy didn't fall asleep, not because he was afraid of the nightmares, but because he was too anxious for the following day.

* * *

><p>Hermione was about to settle into her bed for the night when there was a loud tapping at her window. "Who the hell sent me a bloody owl at this time of night," she groaned as she trudged to her window. As she opened it to let the bird in her face twisted in confusion at the Eagle Owl before her. She recognized it as Draco's but couldn't understand why it was there. She noticed three letters in its grasp, but it only allowed her to take the one addressed to her. Before she could even get a treat out for the owl, he flew back out the window to deliver the other two letters.<p>

As Hermione opened the letter she noticed it wasn't the usual perfect and loopy handwriting she was familiar with, and in its place was a rather scratchy note that read;

_Granger,_

_Meet me at the Ministry tomorrow morning. _

_6am_

_Urgent_

_D.M._

Hermione placed the note on her nightstand, confused as to what could be so urgent. "I wonder what he found," she asked her furry friend that was curled up on the pillow next to her. The cat purred in response, telling her it was much too late for questions. Hermione checked the time and whined as she realized it was already two in the morning. She was only going to get about three hours, so he cursed Draco, muttering that it had better be important or she'd hex him right out of the building.

The next morning came quickly as Hermione trudged her way through the Ministry. He hadn't specified where they were to meet, so she figured maybe it was in her office. As she opened her office door, she was surprised to see not only Draco there, but Harry, Ron and the Minister himself. The latter three all seemed just as confused as she was, but Draco's face was white. He looked as if he hadn't slept at all. _Good,_ she thought, thinking about the lack of sleep she had received herself.

"What's this about then?" she asked with a sleepy yawn. She crossed the room and sat in her seat, Harry, Ron and Kingsley took a seat as well, but Draco still stood.

He began to pace in small circles, unsure of where to start. "Well, I think I figured out part of the prophecy," he started. "Well, you know how we thought Bellatrix had to kill Hermione in order to get the power she needs or whatever? Well, if that were true, why didn't Hermione's attacker ever attempt to kill her? He had lots of chances, he had enough time to hit her with a Cruciatus, why not a killing curse?"

"Maybe Bellatrix is the one that needs to do it?" Ron asked, "you know, like Harry and Voldemort?"

Draco nodded and stopped pacing. "That's what I thought at first, but no, prophecies tend to be fairly specific once deciphered. I think, when it says _the lion's heart must be devoured, to claim the power to rise again,_ what if it literally means, her heart must be devoured. It already mentions that Hermione has some kind of special power or whatever it is, maybe, Bellatrix needs to literally eat her heart to obtain that power," Draco rambled on, not even noticing his mention of Hermione's first name.

Harry scrunched his brow, unsure of what to think of this new development, while Ron's face turned white.

"I think I might be sick," the red haired boy announced as he ran to a bin.

Hermione sat in quiet contemplation as she considered Draco's news, ultimately deciding that he might be right.

Kingsley spoke next as he came to the same conclusion. "Hermione, have you given some thought to moving, as I suggested before? This new development is rather, disturbing, and I can't help but think Bellatrix is buying her time to plan exactly how she intends to get to you."

Hermione shook her head, her stubborn courage shining through again. "No offence Minister, but I feel this new development only makes me safer. If this is true, then she obviously needs me alive. And I have no intentions of going to her willingly."

"I'd also like to see the witch or wizard that tries to take her unwillingly," Draco scoffed, giving her a reassuring nod.

Hermione smiled, but soon her smile turned to a frown as she turned to Harry.

"Hermione, please, you don't need to give up your life, but please, stay with Ginny and I, I'd feel much better if you did," Harry pleaded.

"No Harry, we've talked about this," she scolded. "And with the baby coming, I will most definitely not be staying with you. If, and that's a big IF, they do come for me, I'm not letting any of you get hurt. I will not let that child get hurt, and you are insane to suggest something so, so, ridiculous."

"But like you said, it's a pretty big IF Hermione, so what's the harm in staying with them?" Ron asked. "Or why not stay with me?" he added.

"We tried that Ron and you and I both know we'd kill each other after a week," she laughed and shook her head, "but thank you for offering."

Ron smiled sheepishly as his face turned pink.

"I'll be fine for now, but as I said before, the minute I start to worry, I will get out of there, I promise," Hermione reassured as she sat back in her seat, unsure of when she actually stood up.

"Is there anything else Mr. Malfoy?" the Minister asked.

He took a moment to think before shaking his head. "I think what we need to figure out the rest of that prophecy to find out what it is that Granger is after. I have a few books at home we can try," he offered and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Maybe I'll come by later tonight then?" she asked with a smile.

Draco nodded and was about to speak when Ron jumped in. "Why can't the ferret bring the books here?" Ron spat.

"Honestly Ron, what difference does it make?" Hermione groaned.

"Well for starters, how do we know we can exactly trust Malfoy?" he huffed.

"Well, no one said you had to trust him, you just have to trust me," she argued

"We do trust you Hermione," Harry piped in.

"Thank you Harry, but Ron clearly doesn't," she snapped.

Ron's face turned red. "How could you possibly trust him? You're more willing to go to his place then to stay with one of us?" he growled.

"Ronald! This has nothing to do with you. Besides, Malfoy has been nothing but kind these last few weeks and seems to have grown up from the petty differences we had as children, but obviously you haven't!"

"But it is Malfoy's HOUSE!" he tried to argue.

"So? I've been there before," she snapped but soon realized that was not the right thing to say.

"WHAT?" Ron yelled.

"Mr. Weasley," Kingsley beckoned, causing Ron to choke back his next words. "Now, you can argue all you want on your own time, but I expect you all to work amicably on this. Ron and Harry, your task is to find Bellatrix. You would do well to remember that. How Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy spend their time researching is up to them, but it is their job to do. Thank you Mr. Malfoy for the new information, I will be keeping in touch with whatever I can find," the older wizard announced. "For now, I have to get back to my office. Ms. Granger," he nodded as he made his way out of the room.

As soon as the door shut Hermione whipped around and pointed her wand in Ron's direction. "If you say so much as one word Ronald Weasley, I will hex you from here to Timbucktoo," she warned.

"Timbucktoo?" Draco asked,

"Don't ask," Harry chuckled. "'Mione, he's only saying this because he's worried about you. We all are. We don't want anything to happen to you is all," he sighed.

Hermione lowered her wand and smiled at her best friend. "I know, and I appreciate it but you both need to learn to trust my judgement," she sighed. "But if it means that much to you, Malfoy, do you think you could bring the books to my place later tonight?"

Draco shrugged a quick confirmation.

"Thanks Hermione," Harry smiled.

"I guess that's a little better," Ron finally said begrudgingly.

"Now out, with all of you, I have work to do, and so do all of you, and I did not get enough sleep last night. Goodbye," she said rather sternly and sat back down at her desk to start her day.

* * *

><p>Hermione just settled into her sofa after quickly changing into comfier clothes for the night. Draco was supposed to arrive in about two hours after he picks up all the books they were to go through that evening. She wasn't sure why, but she had felt nervous of him coming to her apartment, so she quickly tidied any room that she thought they might use. When she finished sweeping away the dust, she realized she still had about an hour and half until he arrived. Her eyes quickly glanced to the small diary that has been plaguing her mind for months now. <em>It certainly wouldn't hurt to try to understand the mind of Bellatrix Lestrange,<em> she thought. So with that in mind, she picked up the little black journal and began to read.

_September 1st, 1962._

_Today, Mother says, is the day I truly become a Black. She says that all noble witches and wizards from the house of Black have always been sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts. I can't imagine I'd be any different. The train ride so far has been rather uninteresting, though the girl in my compartment, she's rather funny. Her name is Lorena Booker. I hope she's sorted into Slytherin; she'd make a good ally as she doesn't seem to waste time with the other pathetic excuses for students that are let into this school. I suppose that's all I can really say. I'll have to remember to write to Mother tonight after the sorting ceremony._

_B.B._

_September 18__th__, 1962_

_New development: I am of course, Slytherin, but Lorena is a Ravenclaw, no matter, I can appreciate a clever Ravenclaw rather than a clueless Hufflepuff or idiotic Gryffindor. It has been an interesting week. The teachers at the school all seem to know what they are doing, for the most part. Transfiguration is quite intriguing, as is potions of course. Defense against the Dark Arts however, in my opinion, is rather dull. How do they expect us to learn how to defend against Dark Arts when we do not know what the Dark Arts are? Lorena is proving to be quite the ally. The other day when a bumbling Ravenclaw named Squirrel or something was running down the hall, Lorena showed me a clever little jinx that caused him to trip and he ended up landing in a mop bucket. The dirty squib Filch was absolutely fuming. I can't believe she wasn't sorted into Slytherin, she's rather cunning and ambitious, both keen traits for a Slytherin. Though I do suppose Ravenclaws are rather ambitious in their own way too. _

_Tomorrow is my first flying lesson, not that I need it. Honestly, you would think they would exempt individuals from that class who already know how to fly. We shouldn't be made to suffer a lesson because of the filth that can't afford to learn before school, nor should we have to put up with the filth that claims to be just as magical as us. Mother says there's a special term for people like that, Mudbloods. Perfect really, with their dirty blood, they don't belong here._

_B.B._

Hermione was tempted to throw the book in the fire, but she continued to read, intrigued by how twisted and convoluted one's mind could be even at the age of eleven. It dawned on her that the very man about to come over had one of those very same minds, but she quickly reminded herself that he was different now, changed somehow.

_October 3__rd__, 1962_

_ABSOLUTE TRASH. COMPLETE FILTH THE LOT OF THEM ARE! I can't believe I ever once considered myself relatable to such a creature. Mother is going to have my head if she ever knew I was… though that won't be much of a problem for long. My dear 'friend' Lorena is nothing more than the dirt under my fingernails. I can't believe I couldn't see it before, Mother did warn me they have nasty habits of going undetected. They try to infiltrate our society, claim they are 'one of us'. Disgusting._

_Today started off as any other day, Lorena and I were in the quad, laughing at a pair of Hufflepuffs wandering the halls. Lorena and I took turns placing jinxes on them, watching as their faces contorted as they tried to work what on earth was happening to them. I exclaimed how I couldn't believe Hogwarts would allow Mudbloods even attend the school when they have no right to. I expected her to agree, but suddenly she was rather quiet. Would you believe it? The little bitch this entire time was a Mudblood! I hope Mother does not find out, but if she does, I hope she understands that I at least put the brat in her place. I doubt she'll recover fast enough before Christmas holidays, and I've heard whispers her parents might pull her out of school no less. That's what I get for trusting someone other than myself. I'll see to it, it never happens again._

_B.B._

Hermione threw the book across the room furiously, not even aware of the green flames that engulfed her fireplace.

"Oy watch it Granger!" Draco called as he ducked away from the book hurdling through the air.

Hermione's head snapped towards her fireplace and her cheeks went red. "Oh, I, sorry," she said sheepishly.

"You only had to say no if you didn't want me here," he teased.

"I'm sorry, I was reading a bit of her diary and the things she was saying, and at such a young age," Hermione sighed as she shook her head.

Draco crouched to pick up the small book and placed it on the table as he took a seat beside her, dropping his own large bag of books onto the table as well. "Well, knowing from what my mother has said of their upbringing, it's no wonder she's so evil. She seems to have been born that way," Draco tried to console the irritated girl beside him.

Hermione looked Draco in the eyes questioningly for a moment. "But you were like that once, and you're hardly evil," she said honestly.

"I'm not evil you say?" Draco asked with a wolfish grin.

Suddenly Hermione felt her face collide with a plush cushion, and she glared at Draco as it fell to her lap. "You know what I meant," she smiled, "you're not a bad person Malfoy, and I'm not sure you ever were."

Draco cleared his throat before turning back to his books. He knew this was a dangerous topic and really did not want this night to delve into his life any more than necessary. "Yes well, as much as I would love to debate my inherent goodness, we have some work to do," he stated rather matter of fact as he dumped a pile of books onto their laps. "I'll have a look through these, and you can start wherever you want," Draco added as he picked up a rather large and old book.

Hermione watched as Draco, who seemed eager for a distraction from their earlier conversation, dove deep into the book he was holding. It seemed to be a piece on rather ancient magic, in fact most of the books laid out before them were on ancient magic. "I'll order some food," she said as she made her way to the kitchen to get the phone.

While she left the room, Draco finally stopped reading and allowed himself a moment to settle in. He briefly looked at the diary and noticed she wasn't very far into it, maybe the first couple of pages. Curiously, he opened the little book and groaned as he read what it was that had probably upset her moments ago. He never really thought of her to be sensitive to that word, but figured he should've known better, after all, he was the one who tormented her with it all those years ago. While a part of him wanted to reassure her, another part of him knew if he dared say anything, she would hex the living daylights out of him for questioning her sanity. Always the coward, he opted not to mention anything, thinking it would be best for both of them to ignore the issue at hand.

Hermione came back into the room and shook her head with a laugh. "Come on Malfoy, you can't be distracted already? You might be worse than Harry, maybe even Ron!" she teased.

Draco's face scrunched with disgust at the comparison between him and his two schoolyard enemies.

"Oh, don't give me that face, I think it goes unsaid that you're more focused than those two," she said with a laugh.

"Be careful Granger, that sounded dangerously like a compliment," he smirked.

"I can respect a person's intelligence while still hating them with a passion," she winked. Hermione froze and bit her tongue as she realized this conversation was starting to sound rather dangerous. _Dangerously like flirting,_ she briefly thought. She reconciled with herself that as long as they both knew it wasn't flirting, then there wasn't an issue, but she couldn't explain away the feeling she got when he flashed a bright grin in response.

Hermione coughed and picked up the nearest book. "So what is it we're looking for exactly?" she asked.

"Well, I want to see if there's anything in relation to any rare types of magic that the prophecy might believe is embedded in you. As well as if there is anything on consuming another person's magic to make yourself stronger. Though that last part might be referenced in any Dark Magic books," which might be at the manor, he reminded himself.

The pair browsed through their books, only stopping once in a while to mention something or make note of something that sounded remotely similar to what they could be looking for, however nothing stood out as anything extraordinary. Hermione was in the middle of reading a particularly interesting, but irrelevant piece about the power love can have, remembering how it was that very type of magic that protect Harry time and time again. The doorbell rang and she nearly jumped from her seat as she scrambled off the sofa.

"I'll get it," Draco laughed as he made his way to the front door. "It's probably just the food, do you have any muggle money?" he asked.

Hermione tossed him her coin purse and stuck her head right back into her book. She heard Draco mutter something to the delivery man and then the door shut again. "This is interesting," she said, "sometimes, with rare magic; the effects can only be uncovered with the purest form of love."

Draco placed the food on the table and flopped back onto the sofa. "So?"

Hermione shrugged and picked up her order, dropping the book to the floor. "Just thought it was interesting," she said as she took a bite of her noodles. "You know, maybe next time we should get something different," she mentioned, remembering that this is the second time they've had Thai food now.

"Next time? Whoa Granger, slow down, I mean, I like you and all, but you must be barking to think there's a next time," Draco teased.

"I thought you hated me," Hermione asked skeptically.

Draco coughed slightly as he realized his misstep but recovered with his usual bored drawl. "Oh I loathe you, and your bushy hair," he mocked. Hermione only snorted in response. Clearly, his act was not holding up as well as it used it. It felt strange to him that lately any time he was around her he felt different. Or rather, he felt normal, like himself. It was comforting knowing he didn't have to be so hard all the time. "Oh, I forgot to mention, I read something in one of the books, that one there," he pointed with his foot to the book on the floor to his right, "something about how sometimes witches or wizards possess a rare form of magic that might specialize in a certain area, it was very vague, but it might be the right track," Draco suggested.

"Oh! I've read about that. I'm pretty sure Dumbledore was one of those wizards. He seemed to have a very intense proficiency for fire magic," she rambled as her eyes widened with knowledge. "But that couldn't be it? Could it? I mean, I've never had any sort of specialty magic," Hermione wondered.

"Oh right, because you're just good at everything?" Draco teased as he rolled his eyes.

"I am not good at everything!" she argued, unsure why she was so determined to be flawed. She supposed she didn't like being treated as if she was perfect, because in her world, she was far from it.

Draco laughed at her stubbornness, unsure at where his compliment turned into an insult, but couldn't help but be intrigued. "Okay Granger, if you're so imperfect, name one thing you are not good at," Draco challenged.

"Flying," she quickly responded.

Draco shook his head with disappointment, "nonsense, you seemed pretty capable when the room of requirement caught fire," he reminded her.

"Must've been luck because flying terrifies me," she muttered so low he almost didn't catch it. Almost.

"Fear of heights then?" he mused.

"Shut it," she growled.

"Was that your first time flying then?"

Hermione reluctantly shook her head, knowing it would only result in a barrage of questions, but figured it better to get it out of the way now then to deal with his annoying glare all night. "I've flown a few times, albeit on the back of a broom, but never really enjoyed it. In third year, do you remember Buckbeak?" she asked.

Draco frowned trying to remember when his hand instinctively grabbed his jaw as he remembered her fist colliding with it. "Vaguely," he smirked.

"Well Harry and I rode the back of Buckbeak to rescue Sirius, then in fourth year Krum seemed adamant he take me for a broom ride around the castle, he said it was beautiful but I had my eyes shut the entire time. Let's see, fifth year was terrifying. We rode Thestrals to the ministry, but I couldn't see them so I nearly had a heart attack as I soared through the air on this invisible, thing. Then when we were hunting the Horcruxes, well, I may have sort of, ridden on the back of a Ukrainian Ironbelly when we escaped from Bellatrix's vault."

As Hermione recalled her adventures, Draco had to put his food down. He couldn't believe the things he was hearing. First of all, he could vaguely recall that Buckbeak was supposed to have died. He couldn't help but recoil at the mention of Viktor Krum, not completely sure why. He was impressed with her bravery with the Thestrals, but he had almost choked on his own tongue as she mentioned the dragon. "You rode a dragon?" he asked in disbelief.

"Well, the poor thing was dreadfully abused down there, he needed to be free, and we needed a way out of Gringotts," she started to ramble.

"You rode a dragon?" he asked again. "Out of Gringotts, out of my Aunt's vault no less. Who the hell are you?"

Hermione chuckled as she realized it all did sound a bit unbelievable. "I wonder where the poor creature is now," she sighed as she thought of the dragon.

Draco shook his head as he put his hands on Hermione's shoulders. "I'm only going to say this once, but you're remarkable. It's no wonder you're a Gryffindor," he said sincerely.

"Be careful Malfoy, that sounded dangerously like a compliment," she mocked, trying to hide the growing shade of pink on her face.

"I hate you," he smirked.

"Diddo," she grinned.

The two sat like that for a while until Hermione's stomach reminded her of the food that was no doubt starting to get cold sitting on the table. She pulled away and began to shovel the food into her mouth, not caring if she looked a mess, just wanting the awkward moments to pass. She glanced at Draco with the corner of her eyes and noticed he was buried in the books once again, only he didn't seem to be paying too much attention to the words, as his brow was heavily furrowed and he hadn't changed the page at all.

Finally, when she finished her food he looked up to her again and spoke. "I was thinking about what you said earlier, about how you don't seem have any special magical abilities, apart from the usual of course, and also what you said about love sometimes uncovering things, well what if," he trailed off, turning back to the pages of his book.

Hermione chewed her bottom lip as she started to come to the same conclusion he was nearing. "Possibly," she whispered. "I mean, it might be the best theory we've got so far."

"It would certainly explain the last bit about setting your heart ablaze and how it would unleash your power or whatever," he thought aloud.

Hermione nodded. "But then essentially, we're screwed," she mumbled.

"How so?"

"I don't exactly have a lot of love in my life, nothing earth shattering anyway," she sighed.

"Well what about your friends?" he asked.

"If that's all it took, I think we'd know by now," she laughed.

"Family? Potter was protected by the love of his family after all," he asked.

Hermione shook her head solemnly. "Family is a little, er, complicated right now." Draco stared at her expectantly and she couldn't help but feel the need to explain further. "Well, before the war, in order to protect them I had to Obliviate their memories and send them away. For that year they had no idea who I was or that they had ever had a daughter, let alone know anything about the magical world,"

"That would explain why Voldemort nearly killed my father for failing to turn them in," he mentioned, instantly regretting it as she winced.

"Yes, well, anyway, I found them in Australia and restored their memories, but things haven't been the same," she looked down at her hands in her lap as she fought back tears. Only when she was certain they were contained did she continue. "My own mother is afraid of me; she won't even visit with me. My father, I think he meets with me out of pity, but I can tell he's afraid as well. I think they may even hate me."

Draco frowned as Hermione confessed her family troubles to him. He was incredibly impressed, once again, that she had managed to perform such a powerful spell in the first place, but was also deeply disturbed that anyone could ever hate her, let alone her own parents. He once recalled seeing them in Diagon Alley when they were younger, and couldn't help but notice how proud they were of their daughter. He thought for sure if anyone had a perfect family, it was her. How wrong he was. He was beginning to see he was wrong about a lot of things when it came to Hermione Granger. He was beginning to see that maybe they had a lot more in common with each other then it would appear. "I'm sure they just need time," he tried to console her but knew she wouldn't believe his words anyway. "And if they don't come around, well, maybe I'll have to scare them back into your life. After all, I could still pass for a Death Eater," he joked rather grimly.

"Don't call yourself that," she snapped. He was surprised by her tone, unsure why she was so angry.

"It is what it is," he shrugged. What came next he had certainly not expected, but suddenly he was grasping at his cheek as he felt a burning sensation that often followed a well-placed slap. He glared at the body the slap had come from, but his features instantly softened as he noticed her eyes were brimming with tears. "What is it? Did I say something wrong?" he panicked.

"You're not like them you know," she whispered.

Draco couldn't help the anger that rose as he realized what she was saying. How could she be so stupid to think he wasn't like them? He was _one_ of them for years! "Don't give me that," he glowered. "You and I both know what I am, and I think it's time we both stop pretending." He rapidly shoved his left sleeve up to his elbow and stuck his arm in front of his face. As Hermione tried to look away he turned her head towards it with his other hand. "Look at it!" he yelled as he gripped the back of her head. "Look at what I am, don't you see?"

Hermione could only shake her head as she pushed his arm away, her own mind clouding with anger. She got to her feet and rolled up her sleeve as well, exposing a rough scar along her forearm. She shoved her arm in his face, forcing him to look at her own. "Since we're done pretending then, look at this and tell me what you see?" she screamed. Hot tears were flowing down her cheeks. "Look at it Malfoy! I could've magically healed the scars, but I keep them. Do you know why?" she asked. "I keep them as a reminder of what I am, what I've done, and what I've survived. You said so yourself that I am not a Mudblood. That word means nothing to me. It's just a word. The scars etched into my arm do not define me Malfoy, nor do they you, so it's high time you stop being ashamed of yourself and take responsibility for your own life," she cried, ignoring the scowl her cat gave her for waking him up as he trudged into the room.

Draco slowly turned his head away, unable to look at the familiar marks on her arm. He couldn't stop the flashes of memories in his mind as images of her tortured body flooded his eyes. As he shut his eyes however he felt something grab the back of his neck. When he opened his eyes he saw warm, watery, brown eyes staring back. "You do not get to look away from me," she growled. "Listen to me, I've had enough of your bullshit, you are not a Death Eater, you never were, you were a boy that was forced into something horrible. You experienced a life that no one deserves to experience and yet here you are, a survivor," she yelled.

Draco searched her eyes, trying to find uncover the truth, trying to find any sign she was lying, but his search turned up empty. It was in that moment that he found his lips crashing to hers. He brought his hands up to her hair to try and deepen the kiss. He was almost certain she was about to return the kiss when he suddenly no longer felt the warmth of her lips. Draco wanted to lean in and try again, but for the second time that night found himself clutching his cheek, the familiar tingling sensation of a fresh slap to the face coursing through his skin.

When he dared himself to open his eyes, Hermione was gone. He jumped as he heard the familiar sound of a door slam from down the hallway. He quietly picked up his things and left through the fireplace, but not before making sure the room was tidy. When he eventually landed in his apartment, Draco Malfoy suddenly felt lonelier than he ever had before.


	17. White Blank Page

**A/N:** I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter! I know I did! And don't worry, things get resolved by the end of this one. Also, this chapter is very Ginny/Harry centric, because I love them, and they are adorable. So please, enjoy chapter sixteen, for the next Chapter gets a little bit heavy again… warning now…

Disclaimer: I do not own anything created by J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Sixteen: <strong>_**White Blank Page**_

**Ginny's POV  
><strong>

Ginny awoke early that morning and quickly tip toed down the stairs to make a pot of coffee. The sun still had yet to rise, but she had a very busy morning planned. While the coffee brewed, Ginny whipped up a quick breakfast of eggs, bacon, mini pancakes, and baked beans, one of Harry's favourite meals. Out of the fridge Harry had bought a year ago she grabbed a small cake and stuck a candle in the icing. She lit the candle and placed the cake on the tray. When the coffee was ready, she poured it into two mugs and cast a quick levitation on the tray, carefully keeping a steady pace as she climbed back up the stairs to their bedroom.

Quietly stepping across the room, she leaned over and placed a kiss on her husband's sleepy forehead. "Happy Birthday Harry," she smiled as his eyes fluttered open. She gently placed the tray on his lap and picked up her own cup of coffee before joining him back in the bed.

"What's this?" Harry asked, still not fully awake.

"It's your birthday breakfast of course!" she grinned as she picked up a slice of bacon and nibbled on the end. Her nose twitched at the smell and her hand flew up to her mouth as she threw the bacon on to the plate. "Sorry, Harry, be back soon. Baby business," she managed to squeak out as she ran to the bathroom. Her hands just reached the rim of the toilet in time as she retched into the bowl. She groaned as she sat back down for a second, waiting for another round to hit. When it didn't, she smiled and stood back up. She cast a quick cleansing charm on the bathroom and brushed her teeth before rejoining Harry in the bedroom.

Harry had a lopsided grin on his face as he enjoyed his eggs. "When's it supposed to stop?" he asked.

Ginny shrugged as she crawled back into the bed. "Mum says with Percy she was sick up until he was born!"

"He has a habit of doing that to people," Harry teased. Ginny burst into laughter and leaned over to place a kiss on Harry's cheek. He pulled away teasingly and tried to pry her head away with his hands.

"Ew, not sick breath!" he laughed.

Ginny grinned devilishly as she pressed on harder to reach him, finally claiming her prize. She laughed as he wiped his cheek with his hand, a look of mock disgust on his face. "Oh, I did forget to tell you I brushed my teeth," she winked.

"You love to torture me don't you," he laughed as he shook his head. He leaned over and placed a kiss on Ginny's lips, lingering for a little bit longer than usual. He returned to his food with a sigh. "I wish I didn't have to work today," he mentioned as he played with his food.

"Then ask for it off," Ginny shrugged as she picked at the pancakes.

"Ginny, you know I don't want any special treatment," he whined.

"Harry, even Dumbledore surely would have taken his birthday off work, it's not that outrageous a request," Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I know, well, maybe next year," he shrugged.

While Ginny did think Harry could use a day off, she was grateful that he wasn't going to be around the house today because while he had to work, Ginny made sure to take the day off training to plan a little surprise party for Harry this evening. She even made sure that Ron would keep him distracted until 6 o'clock that night. She climbed out of bed to get dressed, but paused at the mirror. She had been checking every day, and she swore she saw the faintest bit of a bump, though she wasn't sure if it was from all the cravings she'd been having, or if it really was the small little child growing inside her. She lifted her jersey and trailed her hand across her stomach. "I wonder if it's a boy or a girl," she thought aloud.

Suddenly Harry appeared behind her, his hands on top of hers. "Either way, he or she is going to be most loved child in the world," he smiled.

Ginny leaned up to place her lips on his but just as she was about kiss him he muttered with a mischievous grin, "Personally I hope it's a boy, girls are a right terror." She instantly pulled away and shook her head.

"But boys are too stubborn to ask for help and think they can save the world on their own," she argued with the hint of a smile on her cheeks.

Harry nuzzled his head into her neck and she couldn't help but feel weak in the knees as he placed kisses along her neck and shoulders. "H-Harry," she stuttered, "You should get to work."

"Hmm," Harry grunted as he continued placing kisses on his wife's skin. It tasted like peaches he thought randomly. "You taste like peaches."

Ginny laughed and turned to face her husband, the father of their child, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Must be all those peaches I've been eating. Think you could pick some up for me on your way home?" she batted her eyelashes, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to resist.

"Of course," he smiled as he placed one last kiss on her lips. "As long as you save some of that delightful peach skin for me later," he winked.

Ginny snorted. "You really need to work on your pick up lines Harry Potter," she teased. Though the thought of what might happen later that night did make her feel warm and giddy inside.

Harry shrugged as he turned to get dressed for the day. "It worked on you," he mocked.

When the two were dressed they made their way downstairs, Harry grabbed his cloak while Ginny grabbed her broom, pretending to be on her way to practice. Ginny patted down her pockets and her eyes lit up. "Shit Harry, you go on, I forgot my wand upstairs, I'll see you tonight. Happy Birthday," she smiled as she placed a kiss on his cheek before running back into their house. She watched from inside as Harry disappeared for the day.

Placing her broom back by the door, she threw her Quidditch robes back upstairs and got into a more comfortable outfit before marching into the kitchen to begin.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry's POV<strong>

"But Harry, come on, just come for one drink mate!" Ron begged. Harry wasn't sure why Ron was all of a sudden interested in having a drink, they hardly ever went out after work and Harry was eager to see his wife after a long day of following dead end leads. Little did he know Ron had made up the leads so their day would not be met with actual danger, knowing full well that Ginny would have his head if anything happened to him, and also because he didn't particularly feel up to doing any work that day. Not when it was his best friend's birthday.

Harry felt a hand clap on his back, and he turned to see a smiling George. "George, what are you doing here?"

"Surely I couldn't forget the great Harry Potter's birthday! And Ron invited me for a few drinks," he smiled.

"Fine, but only a few, I have to make it home in one piece tonight you know," he sighed. He knew he'd never be able to say no to a Weasley, part of the reason he was married to one right now. Their happiness was just so infectious to be around. "Hey, should we invite Hermione?" he asked, wondering where the third part of their trio had gone.

Ron shook his head. "She's pretty busy she said," he shrugged. Busy helping Gin plan your surprise mate, he thought in his head.

"Besides, it's a boys night fellas, no time for all that girly business," George said playfully.

"Don't let Angelina hear you say that," Ron joked.

"Psh, what's she gon' do?" George chuckled.

"I reckon she'd kick your arse from here to Hogwarts," Harry laughed along with his friends.

"That's why I love 'er," George grinned proudly.

The three men made their way to Diagon Alley to grab a few drinks at the Leaky Cauldron. They were only about two drinks in when a familiar face turned up at their table.

"Oy, bugger off Malfoy," Ron spat.

"Just here to wish Potter a happy birthday," Draco drawled trying to seem bored, but Harry couldn't help but detect a slight sincerity in his voice. "So, Happy Birthday," the blonde wizard nodded then turned away toward the bar.

"Hey ferret," Harry called, laughing at the annoyed expression on Draco's face when he turned back around. "Join us for a drink?" he offered, sensing the man could surely use one.

Draco's eyes lowered as he contemplated his options, but with an exaggerated eye roll he pulled up a chair to join them. "Why the hell not," he sighed.

"I could think of a few reasons why not," Ron growled.

"Ron, shut it, give the guy a chance. He's obviously different," Harry scolded his friend. He loved Ron, but felt like he needed to get out his old school ways sometimes. He was tired of Ron always feeling the need to prove himself, when in Harry's opinion, he was one of the best there was.

George surprisingly was next to speak, "I'm sorry about your mum."

Harry watched as Draco's eyes flashed with surprise. Surely he had to have known that everyone knew she died, it was all over the Daily Prophet. Draco nodded in recognition. "Thanks," he muttered in response. Harry felt himself feel suddenly guilty for everything that had happened in Draco's life after the war. Perhaps if he had put their pathetic school days behind him, he could have done more to protect them during their trials. He almost missed the taunting jerk from school, almost.

"So, how's the search coming, did you and Hermione find anything?" Harry asked as he took a drink.

Draco hesitated, wondering how much they knew about his last encounter with Hermione about a week ago. "Um, well, yes, hasn't she mentioned it?" he asked, confused.

Harry shook his head. "She hasn't said anything, but I guess she's been really busy with work lately," Harry frowned. While it was certainly like Hermione to take on too much work at once, it wasn't like her to withhold information from them. Usually it was the exact opposite, the minute she found something she'd rush straight to them.

Ron seemed to notice this as well, for he finally spoke up again. "Well, what did you find?" he asked.

Draco glanced around his shoulder before leaning in closer. "Well, it's not much and I know she seems to doubt it, but I read about rare occurrences where a witch or wizard would have an innate ability for certain types of magic. She confirmed this when she told me Dumbledore seemed to be very adept at fire magic?" he asked.

Harry and Ron confirmed this with a nod as George listened intently.

"Well, I think she has something like that," Draco suggested.

"But surely we should have seen something like that before," Ron frowned. "I mean, we're her best friends. You'd think after what, eleven years we would have noticed?"

Harry agreed with Ron, but a part of him thought there might be more to the story so instead he turned his attention back to Malfoy. "So is there anything else?" he asked.

Sure enough Draco nodded his head. "You see, that's what Granger said as well Ron, but then she mentioned something about the power of love. I believe you know all about that Potter. Well, she said sometimes with the purest form of love, certain types of magic can be uncovered. Knowing what we know of the prophecy, it all sort of makes sense doesn't it?" Draco stuttered at the mention of love, and Harry had noticed, but couldn't help but agree with the logic.

"Of course, Granger agrees but thinks it's all a bit ridiculous really," he rolled his eyes.

Harry, Ron and George all couldn't help but laugh. "That's Hermione," Ron smiled, which earned him a proud nod from Harry. Who knew all it took for them all to get along was to have few laughs at Hermione's, well, Hermione-ness.

"Hey Malfoy, what are you doing tonight?" Harry asked, attempting to extend the olive branch even further.

Draco shrugged, not sure where this conversation was going.

"Well, Ginny's planning a little surprise party for me tonight, do you want to come?" he asked.

"You know?" Ron asked as he spat out his drink.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "I knew the minute I left for work this morning. Ginny said she forgot her wand upstairs, but it was tucked behind her ear the whole time. I'm not completely clueless you know," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Only slightly clueless," Draco taunted, taking a sip of his own drink.

Harry was surprised to see Ron and George both keel over with laughter, and soon found he was chuckling along too.

"Well, as much as I just _love_ hanging out with two Weasles and a Pothead, I'm probably not welcome," he shrugged.

"Which only makes the night more fun," George wiggled his eyebrows. "If only we kept good ole Walburga around, she'd have a hoot with this one."

"What do you know of Walburga?" Draco frowned.

"She had her portrait permanently stuck to the walls after she died, so for a while any time someone made too much noise she'd go right off her rocker. She wasn't exactly fond of us 'blood-traiters'," Ron explained with a shiver. "Though I suppose she wouldn't mind you," he shrugged.

"Well anyway, she's gone now," Harry groaned. "Good riddance."

Draco wanted to ask more about his great aunt, but figured it probably was for the best anyway. "As much fun as the night sounds, Granger probably doesn't want to see me," he sighed.

"What did you do?" Ron growled.

"Nothing, we just had an argument, as per usual," Draco said a touch defensively. "She's bloody annoying sometimes, I told her so, and she kicked me out," he lied.

Harry squint his eyes as he listened to the hasty explanation, and felt himself feeling as if something was missing, but he couldn't place what. "She's probably over it if that's all it was, plus, it might make it easier for you both to do your job if she knows that _we_ can at least be civil sometimes," Harry suggested as he gestured to the four of them.

He watched as Draco obviously tried to find some sort of excuse not to come, but smiled as the man shrugged defeated. "Fine, I'll come, but only because _The Chosen One_ practically begged me to. It wouldn't do too well for my image to turn down Harry Potter now would it?" Draco smirked.

"You keep telling yourself that Malfoy," Harry rolled his eyes as he made to pay the bill. He was surprised to see a hand hold him back and looked up to see the blonde wizard grimace slightly as if he were about to do something he didn't want to do but was required to by social protocol, like attend a wedding of a third cousin you'd never met.

"I'll pay," he nodded and turned back to the bar.

"Ruddy git, throwing his money in our faces," Ron tried to sound angry, but Harry knew the bite just wasn't there anymore. Something had changed in Draco Malfoy, and slowly but surely, everyone was starting to recognize it.

* * *

><p><strong>Ginny's POV<strong>

"He's coming!" Ginny called out to the guests and quickly shut off all the lights using Ron's deluminator. They all quietly hid behind the furniture and waited as the door slowly opened. When they heard Harry's familiar voice ask why the lights were out, Ginny returned the light and they all jumped from their hiding places.

"Surprise!" they all yelled and cheered as Harry jumped backward. While everyone else laughed at the look of shock on his face, Ginny shook her head as she recognized his attempt to act surprised. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"How did you know?" she whispered.

"Next time don't leave your wand behind your ear," he whispered back and returned her kiss.

Ginny felt her face turn red from embarrassment but was grateful he played along anyway for her sake. She smiled as Ron and George entered the room next but her smile contorted into a grimace at the next face she saw. She flashed a look at Harry who meekly shrugged and put on his best "don't hit me" face, thought they both knew this would need to be discussed later. For now, she just hoped they could all get along.

She certainly didn't have anything against Malfoy, especially now that he was helping them with this prophecy, but she knew a lot of other people might not be so forgiving. Though she had to admit, she was impressed that Ron seemed to actually be okay with everything.

"Come on then, everyone wants to wish you a happy birthday Harry," she said as she shoved her husband into the crowd, laughing as he uncomfortably scratched the back of his head. She watched Malfoy as well, surprised to see how polite he was being to everyone, and even managed to crack a laugh at something George had whispered to him. "Maybe it won't be so bad," she sighed.

However, that thought quickly diminished as she heard a loud clatter behind her. She jumped to see Hermione standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and the tray of cheese and crackers on the floor. "Oh shoot, sorry, I'm all thumbs today," she laughed as she bent down to pick up the now broken glass. "Shit," she cursed as her thumb sliced against a sharp edge. Hermione clutched at her now bleeding hand and ran off to the kitchen to run it under water. Ginny quickly cleaned up the mess with her wand and left the party that had now resumed to normal to check on her friend.

"Alright?" she asked curiously as Hermione was trembling under the water.

"Hmm? Oh yes, just a bit clumsy today I guess," her friend muttered out a forced laugh.

"Are you sure this had nothing to do with a certain wizard that turned up unexpectedly?" Ginny frowned. "I can kick him out, though last I thought you were the first one to accept his help," she shrugged. Ginny quickly grabbed Hermione's hand and cast a quick healing charm on the girl's thumb. "There, honestly I don't know how you always forget you're a witch, especially at the most crucial moments," Ginny laughed as she tugged on one of the girl's curls.

"I know, but it's nice doing things the muggle way sometimes. It reminds me to not take my magic for granted I guess," she shrugged. "But you're right, I could've cleaned that cut better with magic," she smiled. "As for Malfoy, he can stay, I just wasn't expecting him," she smiled sheepishly.

Ginny suspected something else was up, and she was determined to find out by the end of the night, but for now she knew the party was in desperate need of some refreshments so helped her friend prepare a new tray and began to pour some drinks for their guests. While the two worked away at chopping vegetables and mixing drinks, they hardly noticed him enter the room.

"Need any help," Draco asked sincerely.

Ginny jumped and swore under her breath. "Merlin Malfoy, you may have gotten nicer, but you're still creepy, why don't you ever make noise when you walk into a room? It's dangerous to startle someone when they're holding a knife, especially butterfingers over there," she scowled as she tauntingly pointed to Hermione who was now glaring daggers in her direction, the perfect shade of crimson on her face.

"My apologies," he laughed, "next time I'll make sure to have a trumpet player to announce my presence whenever I enter a room, now do you need help or not?" he asked.

Ginny glanced at Hermione who was shaking her head slowly, but gave her friend a deadly smile as she put down the bottle she was pouring from. "Sure Malfoy, a pregnant woman really should not be doing this much work after all," she feigned exhaustion.

"Please, you're not even showing," she heard Hermione growl and couldn't help but laugh as she skipped out of the room. Before joining the party however she paused around the corner and silently listened in to their conversation.

"Look, I'm sorry about the other night, it was, I was,"

"Stupid? Incorrigible? Aggravating?" Hermione interrupted.

"Yes, and while I can't say I regret it, as I'm trying to live my life without regrets from now on, I will admit it was highly irresponsible and I had no right to do so," he confessed. "I also want to tell you that you were right, about me I mean. I need to start taking responsibility for my life, and I want to start right now. So can we let the past be the past and start fresh, Gr-Hermione?" Ginny was surprised to hear her first name come out of his mouth, and briefly wondered what he had done to her.

She could hear the hesitation in Hermione's voice. "I-I guess so. But if it's too hard to do, you can still call me Granger, I'm not sure I'm comfortable calling you anything but Malfoy, or ferret, anyway," Hermione sighed.

"Try it, I know you've said it once," Draco taunted.

"H-how?"

"The past is the past remember?" he laughed.

"Fine," Ginny couldn't help but snicker at the frustration in her friend's voice.

"The past is the past, Draco, as long as you don't try to kiss me ever again!" she argued.

Ginny's hand clapped against her mouth to keep from squeaking. Oh Hermione was going to have a lot of explaining to do later.

"Deal," he finally resigned.

The conversation started to turn to small talk as the sound of the knife hitting the cutting board started up again and Ginny tip toed her way back to the room to find Harry, a juicy secret on her lips. While she wanted to share this news with her husband, she knew better to respect Hermione's privacy, and decided this wasn't the right time. If Hermione wanted to discuss it, then she would, but as they had both said in private, the past is in the past, so Ginny resolved to leave it at that. Though she knew it was going to be near impossible not to tell someone.

Ginny found her husband and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She couldn't help but smirk as Draco and Hermione re-entered the room, a trail of platters and drinks levitating behind them. Everyone cheered as the food arrived and drinks were handed out. Hermione came to Ginny's side and pinched her hip.

"I hate you," she grumbled.

Ginny only laughed, but was soon distracted by her mother as she joined the two girls. "Ginny dear, do you know the sex yet?" Molly asked excitedly.

"Isn't it a bit early?" Hermione frowned.

Molly smiled kindly and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Not with magic," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "Come, come Ginny, have a seat."

Ginny felt herself being led to the middle of the room where a chair sat and suddenly all eyes were on her. Harry came by her side with a lazy grin on his face, the alcohol obviously starting to take effect. "Was' goin on Gin?" he asked.

"Mum wants to know if it's a boy or a girl," Ginny shrugged.

Everyone stared as the Weasley matron pulled out her wand and pointed in at her daughter's stomach. "It's a spell my mother taught me years ago when I started having children of my own and I can assure it's very accurate," she winked. Ginny somehow knew her mother had to have been telling the truth, as after seven children, she would be somewhat an expert at having children. "If my wand glows pink it's a girl, blue for a boy," Molly smiled.

"Typical," Hermione said with an eye roll.

They all watched intently as a hazy glow emitted from the tip of Molly's wand. Moly gave it a slow wave over Ginny's stomach. Slowly the colour started to turn and Ginny's head snapped up to Harry where she found tears forming in his eyes. "A boy?" he mouthed and she nodded in response.

"To James Sirius Potter," Ron cheered as he raised his glass. "The next greatest Quidditch player in the world!"

Everyone laughed but joined in the applause as Ginny and Harry wrapped their arms around each other and cried with happiness. Suddenly Ginny felt surrounded by bodies as she realized everyone had crowded them for a large group hug and she felt herself laughing intensely. This was where they belonged, in the arms of their loved ones. With one look to her husband, she knew this child would be loved far beyond words could describe. With one look to her husband, she knew she was the luckiest girl alive.


	18. Better Man

**A/N:** Feeling very inspired today. May even get another chapter up later tonight! Things are starting to get moving! Thanks for the lovely reviews! Keep 'em coming!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything created by J.K. Rowling!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Seventeen:<span> _Better Man_**

**Hermione's POV**

Hermione wipe the sweat from her brow as she levitated a rather large pane of glass to the second floor of the building she was helping to create. Slowly, and carefully she watched the glass fit itself into the frame and she cast a spell to secure it in place. She tested a few spells on it to ensure it was stable, and when she was satisfied with her work she made her way down the stairs to find something else to do.

"Miss Granger, you really don't need to help us, not that we don't appreciate it of course, but you've put enough time and money in to let us handle it," the worker smiled sincerely as he held out a glass of water.

She took the glass thankfully and smiled back. "I know but I was raised to believe that nothing makes an achievement feel more rewarding than a little hard work," she sighed at the memory of her father's words. "Besides, I enjoy the work, it's far better than doing paperwork at a desk," she grinned.

The man nodded in agreement and took a sip from his own glass of water. "It's a fine place," he smiled. "Say, if you're looking for something to help with, we still have yet to clear space near the pond and create the small relaxation garden you requested, you could always work on that. That way you also get to be outside, it's a bloody hot August day, you don't want to be spending too much time in that house today."

Hermione smiled. "That's a brilliant idea, thanks er-"

"Robin," the man smiled and held out his hand.

"Like Batman and Robin," she smiled. The man's face twisted in confusion. "The muggle comics? Oh never mind," she said with a blush. Hermione shook the man's hand and promptly made her way out to the pond to begin her work, leaving a confused wizard scratching his head.

Hermione made quick work of the thick brush that surrounded the pond, creating a much smoother grassed lawn around the edge. She envisioned a sort of cottage garden feel to grow around the area, full of wildflowers and natural items for a place the Elves could come to sit and relax. She even considered leaving the garden unfinished, with plots for the elves to work on themselves if they wish. As Hermione pictured the new tranquil design for the pond, she felt the sun beating down on her shoulders. She quickly removed her shoes and rolled up the end of her jeans before she dangled her feet in the water. She felt the water kiss her toes and instantly was relieved by the cooling water.

She summoned her bag and pulled out a small sketch pad and began to draw out a rough idea of what she wanted to design by the pond. She pictured a small dock at the eastern end of the pond, and a rocky structure at the western point, to allow for rock fish and rock plants to flourish, providing a wealth of various plants that could be harvested. She quickly drew out a small garden patch along with natural looking seats and tables. She envisioned the coffee table at Draco's flat and couldn't help but wonder if he'd be willing to make something for the center.

At the thought of Draco Malfoy, Hermione couldn't help but think of the last few weeks. After Harry's birthday party, things had gone relatively smoothly. They still bickered from time to time, but they were finally forming a strange sort of friendship. She smiled as she thought of the changes he seemed to be making lately. He no longer smelled of alcohol and seemed to have regained his confidence, which unfortunately came with the return of his air of superiority and snark, but it was tolerable, almost in a more teasing way rather than condescending.

Her mind couldn't help but flash back to their brief kiss and her hand came up to her lips. She certainly hadn't expected him to do it, and she knew it must have been a heat of the moment occasion, but it was certainly an odd sensation. She remembered how she felt when his lips touched hers. It was like electricity was coursing through her blood. She felt raw and vulnerable, which was a state she did not like to be in. As her thoughts reflected on their secret moment, she heard the faint lapping of the water below her. She looked to the pond and noticed small waves start to form. She tried to feel for wind, wondering what on earth was causing those waves, but the air was still. The waves seemed to grow and Hermione jumped out of the water, fearing something was beneath it, but as soon as she got to her feet, the waves stopped. She glared at the water for a few minutes, unsure if what she saw had really happened, but the water was still as glass. So, with the shake of her head Hermione gathered her things and decided she was much too tired to continue work for the day.

She showed her rough ideas to the other worker's and with a few alterations they all agreed on the plan and said they would begin to work on it. Hermione requested this be her special project which was instantly granted to her at her request.

"Robin, do you know the time?" she asked suddenly, remembering she had to be somewhere that evening.

"It's two o'clock Miss," he smiled.

"Crap, I've got to go, you guys can take the rest of the day off, keep up the great work, I'll see you next week, bye!" she rushed quickly as she ran to the apparition point and disappeared with a pop.

When she landed in the alley near her home, she ran up the front steps and rushed inside, quickly discarding her dirty work clothes as she ran to her bedroom. She quickly threw on some clean clothes and rushed back out the door, grabbing her small bag on the way out.

She waved down a cab and told him the address of the small shop she was supposed to go, mentioning she was in a bit of a hurry and willing to pay more if he could get her there within twenty minutes.

"Sure thing ma'am," the driver nodded with a smile, and sure enough just over 15 minutes later she found herself fumbling through her muggle money, denying any change.

"Keep it, thank you," she grinned as she quickly ran across the street.

She just reached the door when she could see a speckled man standing near the counter of the shop checking his watch. "Hi dad!" she called as she ran through the door.

Her father smiled back to his daughter and hugged her as she wrapped her arms around him. Hermione frowned as she felt him flinch slightly at her touch and backed away. "Sorry, I got stuck at work a bit," she sighed as she walked to the front counter. "Two scoops of chocolate, caramel, drizzle please, what would you like dad?" she asked, turning to the man beside her.

"U-um, Strawberry cheesecake please," he stammered politely.

The attendant came back shortly with their order and Hermione promptly paid before her father could. The two made their way to the tables and ate their icecream. Hermione was the first to break the silence. "How's Mum?" she asked.

Her father looked up with a polite smile. "Fine, she's fine," he hesitated. "How's work?"

"Work is great, we've managed to raise enough money to build a shelter for house-elves," she said excitedly, trailing off as her father's face stared blankly as he tried to understand what she was saying. "Work is fine," she corrected herself and turned her attention back to her icecream.

They sat in silence for another few minutes before she contemplated if she should tell her father about Bellatrix, however when he began to speak, she knew she could never tell them the truth about her magical life.

"I think this might have to be our last meeting Hermione," Wendell Granger said as he looked down at his dessert.

"Wh-what?" Hermione asked, unable to fully grasp what she was hearing.

"Your mother found out I've been coming to meet with you for ice cream once in a while," he explained.

"She doesn't control you," Hermione spat.

Dr. Granger sighed. "You mother does love you Hermione, she's just, afraid. It's going to take some time, for both of us," he tried to explain.

"If she loved me she wouldn't cut me out of your life. Mother's don't do that to their children," she growled.

"Hermione, don't do this. We just need a bit of time," he stammered.

Tears flooded Hermione's eyes as she looked up to her father. "B-but you promised. Every other Friday, remember?" she squeaked, choking down the oncoming tears. While they hadn't continued every other Friday, they still made sure to meet at least once a month for ice cream, but her heart felt like it was crumbling apart as her father's words ripped apart her childhood memories.

"I don't feel comfortable lying to my wife," he spoke softly.

Hermione got to her feet and slammed her hands on the table, ignoring the looks from the other customers. "No, you don't feel comfortable with me. I can see it in your eyes. I can see it in the way you instantly recoil from your own daughter's hugs. I get it. You don't have to use _your wife_ as an excuse. You don't want to meet me because you don't want me. So consider you and Monica childless," she spat as she stormed out the door, ignoring her father's calls. For all she cared, he was nothing but a stranger.

Hermione didn't even fight back the tears that flooded her face and ran through the rain that must have started to pour sometime during their chat. She didn't care anyhow; she just needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Running down a dark alleyway, Hermione disapparated on the spot and landed in a familiar alley near her home. As she walked down the street she noticed the storm seemed to be getting worse and worse, so she quickly ran across the street to the small pub that she seemed to be frequenting more and more.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

Draco frowned as he trudged into his house, leaving muddy tracks along the floors. He took off his soaking shirt and tossed it across the room, dropping his broom along the way. He didn't expect for rain that day, so he had decided to go flying across England, it had started to rain later in the afternoon so he slowly made his way closer to home, hoping the weather would improve, however as he got closer, it seemed to get worse. By the time he landed his broom the wind was swirling so much he had already had several close calls to falling off his broom. He landed in a nearby park under a concealment charm and decided to walk the rest of the way. To say he was pissed would be an understatement. He cursed every sort of god he knew that had a hand in ruining a perfectly good flying day as he slowly removed his wet trousers as well.

When he was finally out of his damp, drenched clothing, Draco's mood started to lighten, even just the slightest. He made his way the bathroom and quickly drew himself a hot bath. When the water was ready he stripped the rest of his clothing and sunk down in the tub, letting the heat soak into his bones. He gently closed his eyes and rest his head on the back of the tub, letting his thoughts drift.

With his wand he absent mindedly cast a few charms, transfiguring different objects around him. He turned his bar of soap into a green apple and promptly took a bite; he spat out the chunk of apple as it still tasted like soap and groaned at the remembrance of Gamp's Law on food. He transfigured the apple back into a bar of soap, albeit a smaller one, and began to wash away any dirt and sweat from his skin. When he felt perfectly clean, he let himself soak a little longer, not quite ready to leave the comfort and warmth the bath gave him.

He let his mind wander a bit finally stopping as he recalled his recent meetings with Granger. He smiled as he remembered the time she laughed at one of his jokes. He frowned as his heart seemed to beat faster at the memory. He knew something was happening between them, and he wasn't sure if he wanted it to happen or not, but was comforted in knowing nothing ever would, she would never allow it. He sank lower into the water as he forced his mind to think of something else, anything else.

Draco Malfoy shot straight up out of the tub at the sound of a rather loud banging at his front door. He shivered as he climbed out of the now cold water, unsure when exactly he had fallen asleep. He summoned clean trousers with a scowl on his face and quickly put them on as he hopped down the stairs to the hall way. The banging grew louder and louder. "I'm coming, will you keep quiet," he yelled as he whipped the door open, but the sight before him had him searching for words he could not find.

Leaning against his doorway was a tear-stained, heavy lidded, Hermione. She smiled as she pointed in his direction. "You 'ave no shirt," she laughed as she stumbled into his apartment.

Draco stepped aside and blinked as he watched the intoxicated girl swirl in circles in his hallway, suddenly feeling rather self-conscious about his lack of clothing. He quickly summoned a t-shirt and was about to put it over his head when it was ripped out of his grasp.

"I got your shirt Malfoy, I got your shirrrr-whoops!" she laughed as she fell to the ground, waving his shirt around.

He took a deep breath to hold down his annoyance and slowly crouched down to the giggling Granger. He took his shirt and put it to the side for a moment as he scooped her into his arms and carried her to his sofa. "You're w-warm," she sighed as her eyes started to close.

He placed her gently on the couch and went back to retrieve his shirt from the floor. "I like you better without it," Hermione commented as she sat up and tucked her feet underneath her.

Draco raised an eyebrow and smirked. "If you wanted to shag me you just need to ask," he laughed as he sat down next to her. He let out a grunt as a pillow collided with his face and could only laugh as Granger stuck out her tongue at him. "Looks like someone had a fun night," he commented. He looked over to the girl as she suddenly grew quiet. "Granger?" he asked as he noticed the tears forming in her eyes. "Granger did I say something wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," he panicked as he slid closer to her. He watched as she slowly shook her head.

"They hate me," she cried softly.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"My p-p, Wendell and Monica Granger," she corrected, thinking they were no longer her parents. "They abandoned me," she sobbed, her head collapsing into her lap. Draco couldn't help but jump as lightning flashed through the window.

_Strange,_ he thought, before turning his attention back to the crying girl on his sofa. He never did know what to do when a girl cried so he did the first thing that came to mind and place a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes flashed up to his, and he removed his hand in an instant, afraid he did the wrong thing but a faint smile told him it was okay and he soon found his hand back on her shoulder. "What happened?" he asked earnestly.

Hermione just shook her head and wiped away her tears. "Not now," she yawned. And Draco understood that right now, all she needed was sleep.

"Do want me to take you back to your place?" he asked.

Hermione frowned as she contemplated his words and shook her head.

"I can't let you go alone," he reasoned.

"Then can I just stay here?" she asked, tears still falling down her face.

Draco sighed and gave her a single nod before getting up to let her stretch on the sofa. He left to grab some blankets and smiled when he returned to find her fast asleep. He draped the blankets across her form and slowly made his way up the stairs to his room. He quickly fell asleep the moment his head hit his pillow, completely unaware of clouds that finally started to slowly scatter from the night sky.

* * *

><p><strong>Hermione's POV<strong>

Hermione groaned as she clutched her forehead the next morning, wondering why on earth the room was spinning around her. She sat up and tried to focus on the blurry figure in front of her when she could finally make out the familiar table in front of her. Memories of the night before made her groan as she collapsed back into the sofa, her hands once again finding her face.

"Morning," Draco's voice rang through the room and Hermione's eyes widened. "Don't worry, we don't have to talk about it," Draco shrugged as he placed a plate of food and a glass of a strange liquid on the table before her.

She forced herself to sit up again and stared down at the plate then looked at the glass again. "What's that?" she asked as she pointed to the strange liquid.

"Hangover potion, Blaise and I created it back in Hogwarts," he explained as he encouraged her to drink it. "Try it, you'll thank me."

Hermione reluctantly picked up the small glass and took a sniff of the potion, expecting some kind of foul stench, but found it unusually pleasant. She took a sip, guzzling down the contents, and suddenly found herself grinning. "This is amazing," she said incredulously. "How did you do it?"

Draco shrugged and sat down next to her. "It's similar to a pepper-up potion, but we add a single hair of a magical dog to the potion and stir a few extra times, the stronger the dog the hair comes from, the stronger the potion. That one was made with hair from a three-headed dog, I had a feeling you'd need it."

Hermione chuckled slightly. "Hair of the dog," she said as she shook her head.

"Yes, that's what I said," Draco frowned.

"No, it's a muggle saying for a hangover cure. They often say the best way to cure a hangover is to feed it the hair of the dog, which usually meant to have a drink first thing in the morning, but this actually makes a little bit of sense, it's brilliant really," she smiled.

"Er-thanks," he said awkwardly, not fully understanding the muggle story.

"You should sell it; I bet you'd make a killing. You could even call it, Hair of the Dog," she continued, completely forgetting all the reasons she was even there in the first place.

"Maybe," Draco said as he watched her curiously.

Finally when Hermione finished her thoughts, she turned to Draco and blushed. She knew he deserved an explanation for the messy state she was in the previous night, but she wasn't sure where to begin. As if being able to read her thoughts Draco shook his head.

"You don't need to explain last night to me, I understand. I will be honest with you and tell you that you did mention something about your parents, but it's your business to tell, not mine," he nodded. A small smirk played on his lips as he winked at her suddenly. "However it's nice to know you appreciate my body," he teased and her face grew red.

"Shut up," she growled, feeling utterly mortified by her behaviour.

Draco chuckled and got back to his feet to leave the room. "Eat up Granger, you need food in your system," he commented as he made his way to the kitchen. He soon returned with a glass of juice for her, and a coffee for himself. He took a seat in the chair across the room and Hermione couldn't help but feel a twinge of loneliness.

She looked down at her hands that now held the glass of orange juice and resolved that she needed to tell him the truth about yesterday. "My father and I used to meet once a month for ice cream, a tradition of sorts from when I was young, and he told me he didn't want to see me anymore," she said, refusing to look up from her hands.

"Well that's their loss," Draco said angrily.

The tone in his voice confused Hermione and she glanced up to the man across the room. "What do you mean?"

"Come on Granger, you honestly can't tell me that you actually think you're the one losing out here," he muttered.

"Oh, what? Because they're muggles, they're immediately inferior to me?" she snapped.

Draco shook his head and spoke calmly now, not wanting to hit another nerve. "Because you're remarkable. They'd have to be crazy to not want you in their lives Hermione," he admitted.

Hermione froze, her mouth agape, as she was unable to form a response. She had expected him to be angry, not calm. She had expected him to insult her parents, not compliment her. "I-I"

"It's okay, you don't need to say anything. As long as you understand that what I am going to say is the truth. Can you do that?" he asked.

Hermione nodded shyly.

Draco sighed with resignation and came to sit beside Hermione. "While it makes me angry that your parents could dismiss you so easily, I can't hate them. I know they will come to see the woman that you are. You're not just Hermione Granger you know. You're incredibly talented, crazy smart, and remarkably beautiful. You have the kindest heart I know, and you are loyal deep down to your core. If they can't see that, they don't deserve to. But I can promise you, the day will come when they will see you for what you are, and they will once again embrace every part of you. Fear causes people to make many mistakes, I would know, but eventually, when you find something to chase away those fears, the days become a little easier. I know that with time, your parents will come to regret pushing you away, and I know that their fears will disappear and they will come begging to have their wonderful daughter back into their lives. I promise you that."

Hermione sat eye to eye with Draco, searching for any shade of doubt, but all she found was the bare truth. She knew a part of him was speaking about himself, and it comforted her knowing that he was no longer afraid. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered and smiled as he hesitantly returned the hug.

"Don't mention it," he smiled. "Seriously, don't mention it, I have a reputation to maintain," he smirked as they pulled away from each other.

Hermione only laughed as she sat back and started to finally pick at her food. There was a tapping at Draco's window and he rose to greet his majestic owl as it delivered the morning paper. He was halfway across the room when Hermione noticed his face turn almost a shade of green.

"What is it?" she frowned.

He tossed the paper to her and when she turned it over to the front page her heart sank into her stomach, suddenly feeling her food rising back up.

_HOGWARTS ATTACKED!_

_Three staff found dead a week before the start of school._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ! Oh No ****!**


	19. Thistle & Weeds

**A/N:** SO SORRY lol! I had this chapter written and then I fell asleep. Then today I woke up late and had rush out the door, but anyway, thank you for all your reviews and for sticking with this story so far! It's starting to move along, and I know Hermione may seem a bit OOC sometimes, but even the strongest of hearts can crack under pressure. But don't worry, she'll always be the brave and fiery Gryffindor we all know and love enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own anything by J.K Rowling.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Eighteen<span>: _Thistle & Weeds_**

_HOGWARTS ATTACKED!_

_Three staff found dead a week before the start of school._

_In the early hours of the morning, a gruesome scene awaited Headmistress Minerva McGonagall as she arrived back at the castle. She had just finished returning from visiting the families of muggle-born students when she received an urgent notice from war hero Neville Longbottom. Unfortunately, she had not made it back in time. The castle had been left untouched but today we remember three brave professors who tried to protect their sacred school. We at the daily prophet pay our deepest respects to Astronomy Professor, Aurora Sinistra, Divination Professor, Sybill Trelawney and Charms Professor, Filius Flitwick. Neville Longbottom, the Herbology Professor, is currently in St. Mungo's to treat his wounds, but is expected to make full recovery. It is unknown who or what was behind these attacks, but more on this story will follow as updates are uncovered. For details on the deceased, see page 6. _

"You don't think it was?" Ron whispered as they watched Hermione pace back and forth in her office.

Harry nodded solemnly and turned to Draco who was staring at the article as if there was any type of clue written in the words. Finally the blonde wizard spoke.

"They know what happened, but the ministry is covering it up. Why is the ministry hiding this?" Draco asked.

Harry frowned and considered the options. "Well we don't know for sure, but perhaps Kingsley doesn't want panic to spread, I really can't say. I'll speak with him later to see if he knows anything," Harry offered.

Draco nodded in response as he turned back to the article.

"'Mione?" Ron piped up, trying to catch the girl's attention, but she kept pacing. "Bloody hell will you settle down? You're making me nervous!" he raised his voice.

Hermione stopped and look as if she were a deer caught in headlights. "Hmm? Oh, sorry Ronald," she whimpered as she took her seat, the sting of fresh tears still in her eyes. "I-I can't believe," she said as she shook her head, unable to finish her thoughts.

"It's okay," Draco reassured, placing a hand on her shoulder as he did the night before. "We'll figure this out."

Hermione shook her head and let fresh tears fall again. "If we only worked harder, we could have prevented this and Neville," she gasped. "Oh, Neville!"

"Hermione, Neville's fine. He's expected to recover, and he's a brave man, he'll be alright. We'll figure this out. No one deserved to die, but it's not your fault. You constantly told me the same things once, remember?" Harry offered with a smile.

Hermione relaxed slightly and leaned back in her seat, letting Draco's soothing hand rub her back. She knew Harry and Ron might need an explanation for this odd behaviour, but that would come later. She also knew they should be grieving the loss of their old professors, but that too would come later, much later, she decided.

"So what should we do?" Ron asked.

Hermione's eyes shot open and she looked at Draco. "I need to read," she said with a nod and bolted from her chair. "Ron, Harry, you two find as many leads as you can, go to Hogwarts, see if there are any clues. Draco, you, well, you know what to do. I'm going to find out as much as I can on Bellatrix; we need to understand her thoughts to find her. We need to know who she really is to finish this," Hermione spoke with determination. She felt as if nothing was going to stop her, using her rage to fuel her. She knew this might put a pause on her current work, but sacrifices needed to be made if they were going to solve this. She soon found herself marching out the door and flooing right back to her apartment to start her research, knowing her friends would do what they had to do.

When she landed in her living room she snatched up the little black book, made a cup of tea, and sat back down for a long day of reading. She read through most of the day, quickly grazing through Bellatrix's first and second years. It wasn't until the third year, did Hermione begin to see just what Bellatrix was capable of.

_November 14__th__, 1964._

_Andromeda is a disgrace to the family name. I thought her being sorted into Slytherin was a sign she was finally coming to terms with what is require of the Black name, but now I see she is nothing more than a stain on the family tree. I've heard she's become fast friends with the Mudblood Tonks boy. The others in my year have been questioning my superiority. I will have to remind them of who I am, but that's later. Mother will not be happy to know that I have let her daughter stray from the family name, but that is not my concern. I am not here to babysit. I wonder if little Eddy Tonks has ever been stung before._

_An interesting development happened today as well. My Transfiguration professor transformed into a cat. I think she's an Animagus. I wonder what it takes to become one._

_B.B._

_January 23__rd__, 1965._

_It would seem that little Andromeda has a spine after all. I confronted her about her friendship with the Mudbloods and blood-traitors. She told me I was the only impure one here. If she weren't so vile, I would have been impressed, alas, here we are. Rodolphus tells me there's a spell I can use to maybe scare the Tonks boy away. I'll have to speak with him._

_I met someone today; I'm not sure how I didn't notice him before. He's in fifth year. I don't dare write his name, for if anyone were to find this, they would surely be dead. But he smiled at me, and I could have sworn my heart stopped. He too is in Slytherin and comes from a wealthy pure-blood family from Romania. His family moved here last year to start a new business. Perhaps mother and father know them. I am to meet him in Hogsmeade this weekend, so we'll see what happens._

_I've found a book on becoming an Animagus in the restricted section and hopefully by this time next year I'll successfully become one. _

_B.B._

_April 8__th__, 1965._

_Nobody can know what I've done. Rodolphus showed me a spell that will scare Edward Tonks away from Andromeda for good, but I'm afraid it's only pushed my sister further away. I only write this to help cleanse my soul, because what I have done is unforgivable. I used a spell called the Cruciatus Curse on the boy. I watched as his body writhed beneath me, his scream ringing through my ears. His eyes filled with fear and I felt, I felt powerful. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed feeling powerful over him. I enjoyed watching his body contort beneath my wand. I enjoyed it so much, I'm afraid I might do it again. It is no wonder they call these curses Unforgivable. I am addicted, and I fear there is no turning back for me. _

_The Tonks boy will have no memory of these events, I made sure of it, but I fear someone will find out. Then what will become of me? I have a craving for power, I need to learn more, I need to remain at Hogwarts, yet this one slip may be my undoing. I have no one to turn to. I don't know what to do._

_B.B._

Hermione took a breath as she turned away from the book, her eyes sore from staring at the pages for so long. She stretched her legs and cringed at the pain from having been in the same position for an entire day. Like a zombie she made her way to her bedroom, her thoughts running a mile a minute over the events of Bellatrix's life. She crawled under her covers and fell quickly asleep, ignoring her stomach's screams of hunger after not having been fed that day. She had neither dreams, nor nightmares that night, but instead slept soundly until the early hours of the morning.

* * *

><p>The next two weeks had gone on in a similar manner, once in a while Draco, Harry, Ron or Ginny would stop by to update her on any progress or to see how she was doing, but other than that, Hermione immersed herself in the little diary, learning new things about Bellatrix. The first few nights were the same dreamless nights as the first, but soon she found her dreams took form of the entries in the journal, only with Hermione experiencing everything from Bellatrix's point of view. After a particularly horrible dream where Hermione placed a young first year under the Cruciatus Curse, and actually enjoyed it, she started to refuse sleep, afraid of where her thoughts would lead. Instead, she would curl up in her corner on the sofa and read more, diving deeper into the world of Bellatrix Lestrange.<p>

This was how Ginny found her when she arrived to check up on her friend. "Hermione?" she spoke softly. She gasped as Hermione looked up from the book with a smile.

"Hi Ginny," Hermione said as she pat the spot next to her on the couch. Ginny frowned as she joined her friend on the couch. She took in Hermione's appearance and slowly felt her heart aching to take care of the poor girl. Hermione seemed smaller than usual in Ginny's mind. Almost fragile. Hermione's eyes were bloodshot with dark, black circles surrounding them. Ginny briefly wondered how much sleep her friend was getting. She also worried she wasn't eating enough. Her cheeks were hollow and her skin looked pale. Her hair was fried and no longer held the tell-tale Hermione bounce.

Ginny shook her head as she reached for the book and tossed it to the table. "Hey," Hermione growled as she lunged for the book again, but Ginny pushed her back on the couch.

"No, look at me," Ginny sighed. "You need to put it down."

Hermione shook her head with a panic. "But I'm so close, I can feel it," she quivered.

"Do you see what that thing is doing to you?" Ginny scolded. "Hermione, you look like hell! You haven't eaten in god knows when and I know you haven't been sleeping. Trust me, while I get it's important, it's also crucial to not become obsessed by this. It's not healthy. I would know," she reprimanded, her voice faltering at the memory of her first year at Hogwarts.

Hermione's eyes widened and she threw her arms around her friend. "Gin, I'm so sorry, you're right, I just, I feel like I… nevermind, you're right. Let me just go shower and we can go get some food. I'm afraid I don't have anything good here," she admitted as she got to her feet.

Ginny watched skeptically, not fully believing what Hermione was saying, but decided to trust her friend as she watched the girl head straight for the bathroom. But to be sure, Ginny tucked the little book away, knowing it would take some time for Hermione to find it again, giving her at least a small break. Ginny made two cups of tea and gave a mug to Hermione when she returned from her shower. She didn't tell her it was spiked with invigorating draught, figuring some things were best left a secret.

Finally the pair left for Diagon Alley, deciding to do a bit of shopping after their lunch. They took their seats in the small restaurant and placed their orders when Hermione started to fidget with her utensils.

"Look, I know you're dying to finish it, but it can wait," Ginny groaned as she held her friend's hands.

"I know, I know," Hermione stuttered, "it's just, did you know she used the Cruciatus Curse on Tonks' father when he was only a first year? She was in third year? Can you believe it?" Hermione gasped.

"Actually yes," Ginny said blankly.

"Right," Hermione nodded as she pulled her attention to the moment at hand. "No more of that for now," she sighed. "Tell me about your life Ginny, what's been going on with you, how's the pregnancy, I'm afraid my life is too boring to speak of right now."

Ginny raised a doubtful eyebrow and shrugged. "Well, after my last game the team threw a big goodbye party for me. It was nice, and a bit sad, but I think it's time for me to retire baby or not," Ginny laughed as she looked down at her small belly. "As for this little peanut, I can't wait for him to grow. I bet I'll be as big as the Fat Lady," she chuckled.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at her glowing friend. It took her a moment, but she realized Ginny really did have a glow about her lately. Hermione suddenly felt rather guilty for being out of the picture the last few weeks. "I bet Harry's excited," she smiled.

Ginny grinned and her eyes filled with love. "He's been exceptional lately! He keeps spontaneously dancing with me, and seems really set on giving little James Sirius the best bedroom in the whole house. I swear, he's spent more money on that room than he has the rest of the house," she joked.

Hermione laughed along.

"What about you Hermione, you can't possibly tell me your life is boring," she wiggled her eyebrows. "What about before the attack on Hogwarts? Anything interesting happen? I can't help but notice you and Malfoy seem awfully close. Harry told me he was even rubbing your back the other day?" Ginny laughed as Hermione's face turned red.

Hermione was grateful when the food suddenly arrived, distracting her friend from her own question. However, she knew she couldn't escape it for long, because as soon as the waitress left, Ginny looked up at her expectantly.

"So?" she asked.

"So what?" Hermione shrugged casually.

"What's the deal with you and Malfoy," Ginny asked.

"We're friends," she frowned.

Ginny snorted.

"What? We are!" Hermione sighed; suddenly feeling Ginny might know more than she was letting on. "Okay, we kissed, or well he kissed me, once, and it was horrible. Now, we've come to an agreement to be friends and it's been quite pleasant. He's very helpful and clever." Hermione nodded as she felt her justification was satisfactory and took a bite of her sandwich.

Ginny's lips curled into a smile. "I knew it," she pointed with her fork. "It's okay if you like him you know," Ginny suggested as she took a bite of her pasta.

Hermione choked on a piece of lettuce at Ginny's accusation and shook her head as she drank some water. "I-I don't," she admitted nervously. "I mean, that's absurd," she laughed.

Ginny just rolled her eyes and continued to eat.

The two girls drifted to safer topics, like the baby and what Ginny was going to do for work after. Ginny thought about maybe applying to be a Quidditch writer, but was also thinking about helping George in his shop too.

"How is George?" Hermione asked, knowing the years have been hard on her friend.

Ginny placed the correct amount of money on the table for her meal and sighed. "He has more good days than bad days, but just the other day I went to see if he wanted lunch, and I found him on the floor crying. He had run through his flat and broke every mirror in the entire house. While his bad days are getting fewer and fewer, I think they're getting worse."

Hermione clutched Ginny's hand as the pair left the restaurant, trying to reassure her friend that everything was going to be okay. The pair walked hand in hand as they wandered the streets of Diagon Alley, window shopping rather than going into any stores. Hermione paused and let out a small groan.

"What is it?" Ginny asked as she turned to her friend.

"I was supposed to check on the center last week, to see how the progress was going," Hermione sighed as she resumed her pace.

"Well let's go now?" Ginny asked.

"You don't mind?" Hermione worried she was ruing a 'work-free' day for both of them but Ginny's smile reassured her it would be okay.

"Hey, as long as you're not obsessing over that book, I'm easy," the red haired girl shrugged.

* * *

><p>Draco lay on his back on the cool grass, staring up at the clouds above him. He shut his eyes and recalled the last few weeks. He spent countless hours researching possible answers to their questions and tried to recall anything from his childhood that might relate to his Aunt. The one place he knew he would have to check would be back at his childhood home, but he wasn't ready for that, not yet. But he knew it would have to be soon.<p>

He folded his hands under the back of his head and folded one leg at the knee as he watched a pair of birds dance through the sky. A small smirk grew on his face and he shut eyes to feel the warm wind kiss his skin. It was good to feel free. Flashes of Hermione's face appeared and he instantly sat up, a chill running down his spine as he remembered the last time he had seen her. He went over to see if she had made any progress and the sight he saw upset him to his core. It wasn't Hermione sitting there, well it was, but it wasn't the Hermione Granger he knew. In her place was a shell. He could tell she hadn't been sleeping properly, and probably wasn't eating properly either. He asked her about work, and she shrugged as she dove deeper into the book. He tried to get her to speak to him, but all she would speak about was that damn diary. He wanted to throw it in the fire, destroy it before it destroyed her, but he knew they needed to find answers.

Sure, he had read through the diary a few times, but he never paid much attention to the words he was reading, and knew that if anyone was going to find something within those pages, it would be her. However, he still felt he needed to do _something_ to ease her troubles. And so, Draco Malfoy found himself lying by a small pond in the back of a three story house in the countryside. He had spoken to some of the builders on the project who mentioned that Hermione was supposed to work on a special project but they hadn't seen her days. Draco told them he was supposed to take over for her, and they promptly showed him the ideas she was looking for.

Draco glanced over to the work he had accomplished that day, it wasn't much, but it was a start. He got to his feet after his short break and contemplated where to start next. He finished building various furniture out of branched and trees he found in a small wooded area past the pond. He had even begun turning up the soil to create some garden beds, but had a feeling Hermione would want to do the rest of the gardening herself. He considered working on the rock garden at the one end of the pond, but the small dock she had in mind intrigued him.

He marched off to the large tree he had cut down earlier and began to form some planks out of the wood using his wand. When the planks were roughly shaped, he carried them closer to the water's edge and continued the rest of his work by hand. When he was younger, he enjoyed building things with his hands, which his father often frowned upon, so after the war, he took up the hobby furiously, first out of spite against his father, then with a passion for the craft. He particularly loved creating unique pieces that blended in with their surroundings.

He carefully sanded down the planks and put them in a pile to the side. He then began to make the posts and structure for the dock. When all the pieces were created, he twisted his lips in trying to figure out the best way to build it. Either, he could install the posts first and then attach the frame, adding the planks last, or put the entire dock together first and then install it into the pond. While the latter would be easier for actually building the dock, the former would be easier when it came down to placing it into the water, so he opted for the latter and promptly removed his clothes and transfigured his boxers into a pair of swimming trunks. He brought the posts close to the edge of the pond and slowly made his way into the water.

It was a bit chilly, but he quickly adjusted to the temperature and brought one of the posts up to rest on his shoulder. Using his feet, he quickly tested the floor of the pond for any issues that may cause the dock to sink, when he found it sturdy enough, he placed the post down and secured it deep in the sandy bottom. He used his want to charm it to stay put. He repeated this five more times, each pair of posts shorter than the previous, and securing the final two posts to the bank of the pond.

Next he began to place the structure beams and secured them to the posts. While a part of him felt he was cheating by using magic to secure them into place, he also knew it would be far more safe and last a lot longer with magic than by muggle means, which was very important for a piece like this. When the structure was in place, he finally secured the planks across the top of the frame, securing each one in its place with a quick wave of his wand. While the basic structure was complete, he felt it needed something more.

Draco quickly searched through the woods and returned with a handful of branches that he promptly stripped of its bark. The smooth wood twisted and turned in interesting ways and Draco thought it would make a perfect railing along the sides of the small dock. When the railings were in place Draco sat at the edge of the dock, one foot in the water, and the other tucked underneath him. He summoned his small pocket knife and began carving intricate designs into the branches, not creating any specific pattern or scene, just carving away whatever came to his mind.

That was how Hermione and Ginny had found him.

He turned at their identical gasps and smiled weakly at the pair of wide-eyed girls staring back at him. He couldn't help but laugh as Hermione's jaw popped open.

"See something you like Granger?" he asked with a smirk.

Hermione finally flashed to life and crossed her arms with a frown. "Hardly," she snorted.

"Well then, didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?" he quipped with his trademark raised eyebrow.

Hermione sputtered for a minute, trying to come up with an acceptable comeback but let out a soft sigh and shook her head. "I'm too tired to argue. What are you doing here?" she asked exasperated.

Draco shrugged. "I was bored, so came to see what kind of monstrosity you were trying to create," he tried to tease, but found his words just weren't as strong as usual.

"Yeah, sure looks like you hate the place," she said, placing her hands on her hips.

Ah, there was the Granger he was used to. He was glad he had mentioned to Ginny to try and take her mind away from the book, get her some sunshine. Already she seemed back to her normal self, almost.

"And what do you think you're doing working on _my_ project," she scoffed, a little insulted, but at the same time a little amazed at all the work he had managed to get done.

"Well you obviously weren't going to get it done," he drawled. The next thing Draco remembered was falling backwards off the dock and into the water below, he looked up at a grinning, bushy haired witch who had her wand pointed in his direction.

"Well, it's good to see the dock could hold up under an attack, good job," she complimented with a twinkle in her eyes.

"You're going to pay for that Granger," he growled mischievously.

"Do your worst," she mocked as she stuck out her tongue.

A small voice coughed to announce her presence and the two heads turned to face Ginny.

"Oh, I'm sorry Gin, I meant to show you around!" Hermione said in a panic as she rushed back to her friend.

Draco watched as Ginny raised a hand to stop her friend in her tracks. "I'll just go show myself around," he couldn't help but notice a sly smirk grow on the youngest Weasley's face. He wondered what she was up to. "Besides, those builders were _yummy_," she laughed as she wiggled her eyebrows.

Hermione laughed. "Ginny, you're married!"

Ginny shrugged as she made her way back to the room. "Looking never hurt anybody," she said as she flourished her hand carelessly. "Looks like you still have a bit of work to do here anyway, I'll leave you two to it."

As the red-headed witch skipped away from them, Draco returned his glare to Hermione and quietly flicked his wand. He laughed as he watched her slip and fall to the ground, landing right on her arse. "Ow, you bugger," she scowled as she grabbed her bum and winced at the slight sting.

His smile quickly faded however as he watched her storm closer to the water's edge in his direction. He dove under the water before her spell could hit him and when he came up in a different location he spurted her with water from his mouth like a fountain. Laughing as she squealed and tried to dodge the oncoming spray.

"Draco Malfoy, stop it right now," she huffed as she crossed her arms and Draco suddenly thought she was most adorable when she was flustered.

_Adorable?_ He thought for a moment. _Yeah, adorable,_ he resigned to himself. After all, he did like to give credit where it was due, and while she was no runway model, and she certainly had her quirks, it only added to the beauty of her. He couldn't deny it.

"Fine, fine, I surrender," he said as he raised his hands above his head and tossed his wand to the banks of the pond. He watched as she kicked off her shoes and sat at the edge of the water, her feet dangling just below the surface. He swam over to her and pulled himself up to sit beside her. "So what do you think?" he asked, gesturing to his contributions.

He watched as she looked over his work and smiled as he saw a flash of approval in her eyes. "It's alright," she shrugged casually, but he knew how she really felt about it. It was written all over her face. He couldn't help but puff his chest in pride and smile smugly down at her.

"I still have more work on the dock I was finishing until you so rudely knocked me over," he pretended to be offended.

Hermione smiled meekly. "Sorry, it really is amazing, thank you," she said softly.

Draco frowned as he watched the timid Hermione from earlier slowly return. "Hey, while I finish that, how about you work on the garden part? I saved that for you," he said as he nudged her shoulder.

"That would be great," she beamed up at him. He tried to smile back but once again he found himself falling face first into the water. He wanted to scowl, but couldn't stop the smile on his face as he watched Hermione walk over to the garden beds, her laugh ringing through the air.

It was nice to hear her laugh. He knew she was going through hell, the all were, but her laugh meant she was still fighting. Her laugh meant she still believed they had hope. And as long as Hermione believed there was hope, then everything would be alright. He could be alright.


	20. Last Request

**A/N: **Okay so here we go. Just a warning without giving too much away, this chapter has VERY heavy themes at the end. So please, don't hate me, but it has to happen to advance the story. I apologize in advance to anyone that is uncomfortable, but I will just say there was an M rating for a reason… Thank you all for reading so far and I hope you enjoy this chapter… or well not enjoy it, but… yeah…

Also: I don't own anything from J.K. Rowling

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Nineteen: <strong>_**Last Request**_

**Harry's POV**

Harry paused at the shattered window and glanced up at the all too familiar sign above him

_Purge and Dowse, Ltd._

He climbed through the window to enter into the hospital he had become well accustomed to over the years and marched his way to the front desk and smiled down at the petite Welcome Witch.

"Hi, I'm here to see Neville Longbottom?" Harry asked politely.

"Are you a relative of the pa-" the woman froze mid-sentence as a look of recognition formed in her eyes. "Sorry, Mr. P-Potter, someone will be right with you," the small witch smiled gesturing him over to the row of chairs to wait.

Harry walked over and took a seat. He hated using his celebrity status to get past the rules of society, but in certain situations it really came in handy, and this was one of those times. Though he would have eventually been granted permission, as he would claim he was there on Auror business, but this way was much, _much_ quicker. He sighed as he tapped his fingers nervously on his knee. He was worried about what Neville had to say, and he knew the man would be a wreck if asked too many questions, but they needed answers. And soon.

Finally a young medi-witch appeared in front of him. "Mr. Potter?" she smiled. "Follow me." Harry followed the young witch through the halls and up to the fourth floor. "He's through there," the witch gestured as she opened a wide door to a row of hospital beds. On the third one from the door sat a rather badly bruised wizard.

"Harry!" Neville shouted as a lopsided grin plastered on his face.

"Hey Neville," Harry smiled as he sat in the chair next to his old friend. He winced as he took in the damage done to the wizard and his eyes lowered. "Bloody hell Neville," he gasped.

"What? Oh," Neville chuckled as he looked down at his legs that were limp against the bed. "Yeah, it's not so bad really, the worst is the Skele-gro I 'ave to take each night. That stuff is awful," he scrunched his nose.

Harry mimicked the action as he recalled his experience with the vile stuff. "How are you?" Harry hesitated to ask.

Neville shrugged as he leaned back against the pillows. "Alright I guess," he said, a vacant look on his face. His eyes started to shimmer with tears, but Harry watched as his friend blinked them back. "It should 'ave been me Harry," Neville spoke quietly as he kept his gaze forward.

"What are you talking about Neville?" Harry tried to reassure his friend there was nothing he could have done.

"I know why you're here Harry, you want to know what happened, and I want to help, I do, but I only remember bits and pieces," he said as he turned to face Harry.

Harry placed a gentle hand on his friends arm and smiled softly. "Whatever you can tell us is a great help, but Neville?"

"Yeah?"

"Only tell me, or Ron, okay? We're not sure who we can trust right now, and we think we know who might have been behind this," he warned.

"I know who it was," Neville grit his teeth.

"Really?" Harry asked with pain in his voice.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, I'd recognize that voice anywhere," Neville growled.

Harry sighed and lowered his head as his friend confirmed their very fears.

"Y-you knew, didn't you," Neville stuttered, sighing as Harry confirmed his guess. "Th-that's why you had to meet with McGonagall at the reunion," Neville nodded in understanding.

Harry wasn't sure when Neville had become so intuitive, noting the man had certainly change immensely during the war. They all did, but he was sure no one had changed more than Neville Longbottom, except maybe Draco Malfoy.

"Was there anyone else there?" Harry finally asked.

Neville lowered his eyes and shook his head. "Yes, but I-I don't know who. All I remember is I was working late preparing the greenhouses for the school year when I saw four figures emerge from the forbidden forest. I couldn't see the other two, but I'd recognize that familiar laugh anywhere," Neville shivered. "I sent a patronus off to McGonagall immediately and then chased after them. When I got there, there was already a battle. I tried to fight them off best I could, but then a flash of green light struck in my direction. I thought I was done for, b-but Aurora, she-" Neville choked back sobs and wiped his tears away. When he gathered his emotions he set his jaw. "I managed to injure two of her lackeys, but then I was hit with another spell, and the last thing I remember is the world going black. The healers still aren't sure what spell I was hit with that would cause my bones to shatter the way they did, but the Skele-gro seems to be working just fine and they haven't found anything else wrong with me…"

Harry watched as his friend trailed off, exhaustion written across his face. "It's okay Neville, at least you're okay," he offered a reassuring smile, glad when Neville gave a small one in return.

Neville scrunched his brow tightly and shook his head in disbelief. "How is she alive Harry?" he questioned.

"Animagus," Harry grimaced.

"Hmm," Neville pondered. While the mention of Bellatrix Lestrange once caused Neville to be overcome with fear, Harry noticed he was no longer that scared little boy. He was stronger now. No, the fear had disappeared and was replaced with something stronger, replaced with bravery, and determination.

"Well, thank you Neville, I know it must be hard, but you just focus on recovery now, alright? And I'll try to swing by again," Harry smiled. "Oh! Before I go," he added as he reached into his pocket and removed a few small envelopes and a couple small, wrapped gifts. "Get better soon," Harry grinned as he placed the items on Neville's bedside table before getting up from his chair.

"Thank you Harry," Neville smiled as his eyes felt heavy. As Neville slowly drifted to sleep, Harry quietly left the hospital, slightly disappointed with the lack of new knowledge, apart from the fact that they had somehow breached the grounds through the forest, but pleased that his friend was going to be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>Ginny's POV<strong>

September soon came and went, and October too was drawing to a close and the weeks once again passed without incident. After Harry's meeting with Neville, he brought this new to them, only to find the information led them to a dead end. He also spoke with Kingsley about why they hadn't gone public with who was behind the attacks, and he assured Harry that he wasn't sure who could be trusted with that information. He also made note that an attack like this was surely to seek attention and recognition, something he would not easily give. Harry had to agree with the minister, knowing that giving credit to Bellatrix for the attack would only fuel her drive. So far, their dismissal of her actions had proved helpful as they hadn't heard of any attacks in weeks. Though now, it only made Harry more nervous, worrying she was plotting something else.

However, while the months passed, Ginny's stomach grew and grew and she was now roughly five, maybe six, months along in her pregnancy. It was a particular cold October morning and Ginny was due at St. Mungo's for a checkup later that afternoon. The fiery witch slowly climbed out of bed and groaned as she looked down at her belly.

"Harry!" she shouted, causing the dark-haired wizard to shoot out of bed and race to her side, fumbling with his glasses on his way.

"Ginny, what's wrong? What is it?" he asked in a flurry of panic.

Ginny huffed and crossed her arms. "I can't see my toes!" she whined as she tried to lean forward to look over her belly. "Oh, there they are," she smiled as she watched her toes wiggle, just peeking out from behind her belly. "Oof," she said as she fell into Harry's arms as she leaned to far forward.

Harry could only chuckle at his wife's bizarre moods. "They're still there Ginny," Harry teased as he poked her ribs, grinning at her small squeal.

"Don't poke a pregnant lady," she growled as she returned the poke to his chest.

"Don't poke mama bear, got it," Harry quipped with a nod.

Ginny's scowl cracked into a smile and soon turned into laughter as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and placed a firm kiss on his lips. As she pulled away she fixed his now crooked glasses and winks as a blush grew on his face. "Well, I'm going downstairs for breakfast, you coming?" she asked as she made her way to the door.

"It's bloody well four in the morning!" Harry groaned as he flopped back onto the bed.

"Do _you_ have a pesky little Potter growing in your stomach that eats just as much as his father?" Ginny growled with a smirk.

"Fair enough, but I think I'm going to catch up on sleep," Harry smiled as his head hit his pillow. He turned to look at Ginny and found himself sitting up again. "No, don't you dare give me that look," he warned.

Ginny's lip quivered as she pouted and tilted her face downward, looking up at Harry through her eyelashes.

"Ginny, stop," Harry sighed, "you know I can't res- ugh fine!" he said, throwing his hands in the air. Harry marched out of the room and stomped down the stairs in a huff, a happy Ginny trailing right behind him.

They each made their breakfast and Harry grimaced as he watched his wife spooned segments of grapefruit from the rind and placed them on top of her mustard and chocolate cake sandwich. Ginny however grinned satisfyingly as she swallowed a bite of her latest creation. "You know, one of these days, I'm going to get you to try my food," she said with her mouth full and waving her sandwich about.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "I love you but no way," he chuckled nervously.

Ginny started to pout again but laughed as Harry bolted from the table.

"Not this time wench," he laughed as he ran from the room and back up the stairs.

"Not fair, I can't run!" Ginny called out to him, but remained in her seat, happily munching away on her meal.

While she felt a little guilty for being as happy as she was, what with all her loved ones having so much to worry about, but she couldn't help herself. She smiled down at her protruding belly and knew, just knew that this child was what they all needed. He would bring hope back into their lives, back into Harry's life. She placed a small hand on her stomach and massaged it gently. "Oh," she gasped as she nearly dropped her sandwich. "Harry! Come quick!" she screamed excitedly.

The wizard appeared in the room in a flash and ran to his wife. "What is it?"

She immediately grasped his wrist and placed it where her hand had been. He was about to question her sanity when he suddenly felt a small nudge against his hand come from underneath her skin. He turned to his wife and grinned. "Was that?" he asked and his eyes watered as she nodded.

"Hey little guy," Harry cooed as he knelt on the ground and placed his hand back on her stomach. "I'm your father," he smiled as he placed a kiss on her skin. The child gave another small kick earning a chuckle from his parents. "I think he can hear me," Harry said with delight. Ginny chuckled in response. "Hey James, so since you can hear me, I need you to keep a secret for me, don't tell your mum, she'll go barking mad okay?" He winced as he felt a playful hand smack the back of his head. "In fact, she just physically abused me right in front of you, can you believe it?" he added and ducked away from the oncoming swat.

"Harry James Potter, you will not tell our child I abuse you!" Ginny glared.

Harry stuck his tongue out at his wife which only earned him another fierce blow to the head. "I must not tell lies," he teased and gave a quick kiss to Ginny's cheek.

She couldn't help but laugh at her husband. "Don't listen to your father, he's a right git," she whispered to her belly. "Took him three years to agree to marry me, even then I had to propose," she grinned as Harry sat back on his feet and sulked. "But do you want to know a secret?" she spoke softly as she looked at her husband. "We love each other very much, and we love you so, so much little James. Our son. You are our joy, our dream, and our light, and nothing will ever take you away from us, we promise," she smiled, tears falling from her eyes.

Harry rose to his feet and wiped the tears from her face before tilting her head to meet his. He placed a lingering kiss on her lips and then gently placed another on her stomach. As he straightened up he held out a hand to his wife, and she gladly took it. "Ginevra Molly Potter, you are one hell of a witch, and I am so happy to call you mine," he said.

Ginny smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as the two slowly swayed, dancing without any music and her belly between them. Ginny felt nothing could be more perfect than that moment just then.

* * *

><p><strong>Hermione's POV<strong>

Hermione smiled as she checked over each corner in each room of the building. Everything seemed perfectly in place and structurally sound. She turned to the group of men and smiled approvingly. "Thank you so much, all of you, for all of your hard work these past few months. None of this could have been done without you," she said to the builders.

The lead contractor stepped forward and held out his hand. "It's been a pleasure workin' with you Miss Granger, and don' hesitate to contact us if ye need anythin'" he smiled.

"While it's not quite ready to open for business yet, I am throwing a small party tonight to celebrate its completion and I'd like for you all to come," she offered.

"We'd be more than happy to," one of the men grinned and the rest nodded in agreement.

"Great, the party starts at 8, see you then. Oh! And don't forget a costume," Hermione smiled and waved goodbye as they followed each other out the door.

Hermione clapped her hands together and jumped excitedly at the idea that all her hard work was nearly finished. All that was left was some minor maintenance, and some paperwork and the centre would ready to open. She quickly glanced around the room and sat in the nearest couch, going over her list for what she would need for the party. She had already purchased everything earlier that week, but it was a habit of hers to check things over three or four times until she was satisfied with the results. She didn't have much to set up, as the place was brand new, not requiring any sort of prior cleaning, so with the swish of her wand and a few incantations, the decorations were in place. She quickly set up the food and drinks in the small kitchen, and placed a large bowl of candy in the centre of the main room.

When she finished, she quickly popped back to her apartment to change for the evening. It worked out nicely that the completion of Dobby's Center for Elfish Welfare coincided with Halloween, so Hermione decided they needed a little bit of fun in their lives. She made it mandatory that everyone dressed up for the evening, so she was curious to see what everyone would be arriving as. Hermione had originally thought it would be hilariously ironic if she went as Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but was quickly reminded by Harry that no one else was going understand the muggle reference so she had to go back to the drawing board. She ended up deciding to go as a fairy, happy that she wouldn't have to put too much effort into her costume. All she required was a set of wings, a dress, and maybe some sparkles here and there.

She slipped into her rose coloured dress, and pat down the skirt. The skirt was made of individual pieces to look like flower petals, and she tied a green sash around her waist. Hermione quickly slid the wings onto her shoulders and slipped into her shoes. She had placed her hair in a loose braid; letting wisps of hair frame her face. Ginny had come over and insisted she do her makeup, so around her eyes were sparkly swirls that shimmered different colours as she moved. It was quite impressive and she had to admit that it added to her look. She put on her shoes, grabbed her bag and her wand and quickly left her apartment. The building hadn't yet been connected to the floo network, so she still had to apparate, but that was not a huge problem really.

She arrived with a few minutes to spare before everyone else would be joining her and quickly double check everything was in place. Content, she decided to pour herself a drink. Just as she finished pouring butterbeer in glass, a knock came to the door. She ran to the door and promptly opened it, grinning at the group in front of her.

Ginny was dressed in a tight, gold dress and had gold wings attached to the back, and Harry was dressed in his quidditch robes. It took her a moment but she burst out laughing. "Ginny, you make a brilliant snitch!" she grinned as she stepped aside to let them in.

"Thanks," Ginny beamed as she placed a hand on her round stomach.

Hermione watched as Ron and George followed the first two inside. Ron first appeared to be dressed as a typical wizard, albeit his robes were someone older looking, but she couldn't help but be impressed as a small toy cauldron hopped on one foot behind him. George's costume on the other hand was a little more confusing, and Hermione really had no idea what he was supposed to be honestly.

"Lookin' good, lookin' good," George whistled as he hugged Hermione, causing her to laugh.

"Where's Angelina?" Hermione asked.

George shrugged. "Couldn't find a sitter for Fred, and that little man would give, well, Fred, a run for his money," he joked, a small glimmer of sadness in his eyes.

Hermione smiled as she directed them all into the room and shut the door. As soon as she sat down to join in their conversations, there was another knock at the door, she got up with a sigh and let the new guests in as well.

Slowly the room filled with people as the night crept on, Luna, Seamus, all her old school friends, even Neville managed to make it, though he mentioned he couldn't stay long. The men that helped build the place all turned up as well, and Hermione was happy to see they were all getting along nicely. She quickly ran to the kitchen to grab some more empty glasses for the new joiners when she jumped as a voice spoke from behind her.

"Nice wings," Draco said with a smirk as he flicked one of her wings.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and blew a hair from her face. "Don't do that, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Hermione scowled as she turned back to her task.

"Never took you for a fairy girl," Draco teased as he helped her reach glasses from the cupboards.

"And why's that?" she asked.

"Because I never thought you'd want to portray such a lowly creature," he scoffed.

She crossed her arms and grunted. "They are not lowly, they are misunderstood," she sighed.

"Misunderstood? They are vain, vile creatures that have no concern for anything but their appearance," he snorted.

"You're one to talk," she snorted. Hermione shook her head. "Well, that may be so, but to me, they will always be innocent and mystical creatures," she argued.

"Is that so?" Draco asked amusedly.

"Growing up I always thought I was special, and to me, in the muggle world, I often thought maybe I was a fairy. Maybe that would explain why I could do things no one else could. Obviously, that wasn't true," she shrugged, "but it's still a fond memory from my childhood."

"Cute," he smirked. He had a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but in all honesty he truly believed it was sort of cute, though to him fairies are and always will be despicable.

Hermione leaned against the counter and took in the wizard's appearance. "And just what, pray tell, are you supposed to be?" she asked, raising her eyebrows to the top of her forehead.

"Isn't it obvious?" she smirked as he gave a twirl. Hermione stared and was quite certain she knew what he was, but couldn't place the green and black feathers. Draco shook his head with mock disappointment. "Figures, the fairy wouldn't know an Augurey when it saw one," he grinned wolfishly.

Hermione's eyes widened as she realized the strange coincidence with their costumes. "What?" she asked.

"Funny huh?" he shrugged. "Don't worry Granger; I wasn't spying on you, just a weird coincidence. My family used to own an Augurey, that's how we knew the weather, but it was so bloody annoying, I set it free one night when I was six," he smirked at the memory.

Hermione groaned as she suddenly realized it looked like they were there as a couple. "Could you please change?" she pleaded as polite as she could.

Draco rolled his eyes and flicked his wand, the feathers suddenly disappeared. "You didn't actually believe that story did you?" he asked. "Relax Granger, I only did that to get a rise out of you," he chuckled. Hermione shook her head in disbelief and admired his new look.

"Fitting," she nodded to his vampire costume.

"Thanks," he grinned. "Oh, by the way, Blaise is here, hope you don't mind," he mentioned as he stacked a few glasses and followed her out to the other room where the guests all were.

"That's fine," she smiled and handed out the glasses to her friends. She quickly summoned several bottles of various drinks from the kitchen and smiled as they all took turns filling up their own cups. "Cheers," she said as she clinked her glass against Draco's.

"Cheers," Draco smiled and took a sip of his own drink.

Hermione watched as an arm draped around Draco's neck and she gave a polite smile to Blaise, who was dressed in head to toe black. She held out a hand and smiled as he returned the gesture and shook her hand.

"Thanks for letting me stay," he smiled politely and Hermione nodded.

"Nice Banshee costume," she smirked.

Blaise looked at Draco with a grin. "You're the only one who knew what I was Granger, she's clever Drake, keep her around," he said with a wink and clapped his friend on the back before re-joining the party.

"Yes, well," Draco coughed.

"Mhm, well," Hermione smirked as she took a sip of her drink. "Thanks for the help here by the way, it was much faster getting this done with you there," she complimented.

"You're welcome," Draco nodded, not sure what else to say. He couldn't remember a time in his life before that fateful memorial service where anyone had thanked him for anything, and now it seemed he was being thanked all the time, even for the smallest of things. A smile formed on his lips as he thought it was a rather nice feeling, feeling like you are needed, like you make a difference to someone.

Hermione grabbed Draco's arm and dragged him further into the room. She couldn't help but laugh at the shocked stares he received from a few of the members of the party, especially Seamus, but she smiled as he soon found himself engaged in another rousing conversation with Neville.

She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, or the company, but she couldn't help but feel incredibly happy and bubbly, deciding that maybe it was a bit of both.

* * *

><p>Hermione flung her arms around her friends' shoulders as they wobbled to the end of the drive where the apparition point was. "That was such a great night," she sighed. "Wasn't it such a great night?"<p>

"Yes, that was such a great night," Ginny rolled her eyes with a laugh at her tipsy best friend. "Are you sure you're okay to go home like this Hermione?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she waved her hand to her friend. "You two make it home safe, okay?" She threw her arms around Ginny and Harry and gave them each a kiss on the cheek. The two laughed as they hugged her goodbye. Hermione watched as they disappeared with a pop. She quickly skipped her way back to the house to lock up when they were gone. When she entered the house again she quickly scanned to room and decided she would clean up the following day. She was just about to pick up her wand when a knock came at the door.

_Who forgot something?_ She wondered as she dreamily crossed to the door. She opened the door and froze as a hooded figure stood before her. She slammed the door in his face and bolted for her wand. She reached it just in time and cast a spell over her shoulder as the man raced forward.

He stumbled back as he cast a shield just in time and continued his pursuit.

As she scrambled to the other room, she felt herself trip over the leg of a table and cursed as her knees crashed to the floor. Her wand fell out of her hands and was only a foot away. As she tried to reach her wand, she suddenly felt her body stiffen as a full body bind curse coursed through her bones. She collapsed to the floor and felt herself being rolled onto her back. "Wh-who are you? Help!" she screamed.

"Now, now, be a good little Mudblood, and keep quiet," the figure snarled as he hit her with a quick silencing spell. She recognized that voice, but couldn't place where. She tried to scream again, but no sound escaped her lips.

She willed herself to find the effects of the body-bind, but slowly panic started to spread across her face as she saw the figure pick up her wand and kneel down on top of her.

"This will only hurt a bit, Crucio," the man snarled as he pointed his wand at her.

Hermione felt a scream rip through her throat as the pain tore her apart, but couldn't hear anything but the cackles of the man currently on top of her, his knee deep in her rips. She felt the effects of the curse wear off for only a moment before she was hit with another round. She felt her insides contort and roll over each other as the curse raced through her body, every cell feeling as if it were exploding into millions of little pieces. As soon as the second one subsided she instantly felt another and she was sure this would be the one to tear her physically apart. She clenched her eyes shut and willed herself to die, right then and there. She wouldn't give Bellatrix the satisfaction of taking her alive. She was disappointed however when the pain ended and she no longer felt his knee crushing her body. Hermione dared to open her eyes, and panicked when she found he was now straddling her. She still could not see his face as he was wearing a black mask. She watched as he lifted her left arm above her head and rolled her sleeves to her elbow.

She wanted to cringe as she felt his tongue trace along her scar, but her body wouldn't budge unless he allowed it to. She tried once more to scream but once again was met with silence.

"What's that Mudblood?" the man spat, "you have something to say?" He quickly released the silencing spell but held his hand tight to her throat. She could feel her airways being crushed and it took all her will power not to pass out right then and there. "When I'm done with you you'll be begging me to kill you," he snarled.

Finally he released her throat and she let out a blood curdling scream, hoping someone, somewhere might hear it. Tears fell from her face as she felt a hand smack the side of her face and her throat was being crushed once again.

"Tsk, tsk, you're a fighter," he clicked. "Now beg, you filth, beg," he spat as he released her throat again.

Once again Hermione screamed into the night, only to find her voice gone once again shortly after she opened her mouth. She couldn't stop the tears as the man grabbed her shoulders and slammed her head into the ground.

"You don't listen do you Mudblood, I'll soon change that," he growled and slid further down her body. She shut her eyes tight as he tore apart her clothes and hiked up the skirt of her dress. She could hear him rustle with his own clothes and suddenly her eyes were force open with some kind of spell, she wasn't sure what. "Ah, I don't think so. You're going to watch me."

Hermione tried her best to look away as he moved closer on top of her and she tried to scream, but it was futile, this was happening. Her heart began to race and she was thankful for the tears that blurred her vision. Once again she felt a hand to her throat and she cried silently as she waited for the man to torture her in such a revolting way.

But nothing came. In fact, she suddenly found herself able to breathe once again. She heard someone shouting and saw flashes of spells fly across the room, but as soon as she was released from the spells placed on her all she could do was turn to her side and vomit. She faintly remembered the sight of blood spill from her mouth, the feeling of a pair of firm hands scooping her up, and a flash of blonde hair before she welcomed the darkness that consumed her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Poor Hermione :(… Any guesses as to who might have attacked her? You won't find out for a while, but it's always fun to hear your guesses ;)**


	21. Whispers in the Dark

**A/N:** So quite a lot happens in this chapter... hope you enjoy it! Also, those are some good guesses, but you'll just have to wait and see just who is behind all this ;)

Once again: I don't own anything by J.K Rowling

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Twenty: <strong>_**Whispers in the Dark**_

**Hermione's POV**

Hermione gasped as she shot up and frantically clutched the sheets below her. She frowned wondering why there were blankets and she hysterically rummaged through them, panic stricken as she awaited another curse. "My wand, my wa-NO LET GO OF ME," she cried as she felt two pairs of hands gently force her back down.

"Hermione, Hermione it's okay, you're safe now," Harry softly spoke.

Her eyes flashed to the boy beside her and then turned to see the other hands belonged to Ron. Instantly she felt her body relax into itself as she leaned back against the pillows. She panted as she tried to catch her breath and her eyes caught pools of grey staring intently back at her. Down by her feet sat Draco Malfoy, an expression on his face that Hermione didn't recognize. Unable to look away, she winced as her throat burned when she tried to speak.

"Here," Ron said as he handed her a glass of water.

She sighed as the cool drink trickled down her throat and wondered if there had been a calming draught added. Finally able to speak she turned to her two best friends and let out a small squeak. "What happened?" she asked as a lone tear fell down her cheek.

The pair glanced at each other before turning to the blonde man at the end of the bed and gave him a silent nod. Draco sighed as he switched places with Ron and took his seat next to Hermione's shoulders. Hermione turned her gaze to the blonde, shaggy hair, that always seemed so perfect, now a mess, sticking out in every which way. "Y-you," she started and fell silent as he solemnly nodded.

Draco looked up at Harry who only gave him a reassuring nod before he began to speak. "I came back to grab my cloak, it was draped on one of the arm chairs," he explained. "About halfway up the drive I heard a scream and bolted to the house, by the time I got there I thought I was too late. I fired a few spells at him but," Draco clenches his eyes shut as his hands started to shake. He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and was surprised to see Ron smiling softly down at him.

"Mate, you did the best you could. If you'd gone after him, Hermione might not be here," he smiled, and Draco nodded in response.

"I rushed you here as fast as I could, you were coughing up blood and I had no way of reaching anyone but I brought you here and called for these two when the healers took you," he finished and Hermione noticed his jaw seemed rigid as if he were fighting back pain. She glanced down at his arm and winced.

"Your arm," she worried as she slowly placed a hand on his wrist.

Draco looked down to where his robes were sliced open. He had a deep cut just below his shoulder and it seemed to be bubbling with some type of green liquid. Draco shrugged. "The healer's said the green stuff will help clean the wound, I was hit with some pretty bad spells, but nothing to cause permanent damage. The more important question is how do _you_ feel?" he asked with a frown.

"I-I think I'm okay," she said. Hermione tried to sit up but let out a single grunt as she grabbed at her ribcage.

"They said you had a few cracked ribs," Harry answered to her pain.

Hermione nodded and leaned back once again. "He was crushing me with his knees while he hit me with the Cruciatus Curse," she said blankly.

Ron let out a growl and started to pace back and forth. "I'll kill 'im, I'll find 'im and I'll kill 'im," he muttered.

Harry squeezed Hermione's hand and shook his head. "I should have stayed; we shouldn't have let you leave alone."

Hermione shook her head with a smile. "And let Ginny get hurt in the process? No, it wasn't anyone's fault," she sighed.

Draco was the only one hadn't said anything more and Hermione could see there were words on his lips but his eyes were set with confusion. "Draco?" she asked quietly.

The mention of his name had his head sharply turn to the small frame. His eyes seemed to be searching for an answer that he just couldn't find. "Do you remember anything else?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and closed her eyes. "I remember everything," she whispered. When she opened her eyes she began to recall the events starting with a knock at the door. She hesitated before telling them the part where he almost raped her, but she knew it had to be said. Ron's face turned green and Harry looked like he had seen a ghost, but Draco's face, Draco's face was frightening. His eyes seemed to flicker black as he recalled the man hovering over her still body.

"I-I think I saw you," she whispered as she turned to Draco, snapping him from his thoughts. "Just before everything went black I saw a streak of blonde and I think I knew I was safe then," she explained shyly.

Harry and Ron glanced at each other and decided to leave the two in peace. "I should go check on Ginny, she was worried sick, but I told her stay home for the baby," Harry smiled. "We'll both come by this afternoon," he added with a wave before he left the room.

Ron hesitated for a moment before he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Take care of her Malfoy," he muttered before following Harry out the door as well.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked Draco who was now staring at the corner of the bed.

"Hmm?" he asked vacantly.

Hermione squeezed his hand gently and smiled. "If you have work to do, I'll be okay here you know," she smiled bravely.

Draco smirked. "Considering my work relies heavily on your wellbeing, I think I'd be fired if I left your side," he tried to joke, but just couldn't find the humour in his voice.

Hermione closed her eyes and deeply inhaled before opening them again. "Thank you," she said, her eyes blurring over. She tried to hold back the tears but knew it was futile. She felt a rough thumb wipe away some of her tears and she smiled back at the face of the man it belonged to.

"You need to stop thanking me Granger," he sighed.

"What do you mean?" she frowned.

"The more you thank me, the more I feel like you need me, and the more I want to-" he cut himself off as his frustration built.

"The more you want to what?" she blinked.

"Nothing, just stop making me feel like you need me," he muttered as he tried to pull his hand from her grasp.

She held steadfast to his hand and forced him to look back at her as she spoke. "I do need you," she smiled truthfully. The stared at one another for five minutes before Draco cleared his throat and smiled back at her.

"Well then you better get used to my unwavering good looks," he said with a wink.

"Prat," she laughed as she finally pulled her hand away.

"Thank you," he sighed with a smile as he shut his eyes.

"For what?"

"For being alive," he answered honestly.

Hermione felt her heart flutter and all she could do was respond with a smile when a nurse came scuttling to her side. "We need to run a few tests on Miss Granger to see if she's healing appropriately. You can come back later this afternoon if you wish," the nurse smiled politely as she shooed Draco out the door. Hermione couldn't help but laugh as he clearly muttered a variety of names at the witch that was near shoving him out the door. As soon as Draco had left however, her heart began to sink into itself as she realized she was alone. She knew she wasn't physically alone, as there were nurses running around her bedside, but she felt empty as Draco left the room, and briefly wondered just how much she really needed him.

* * *

><p>Four days had passed and Hermione was released from St. Mungo's. She was escorted by Harry back to his place where a small gathering was waiting for her return. She grinned and thanked all her friends for their support, and was surprised to see Kingsley and McGonagall there as well.<p>

The elder witch had tears brimming her eyes as she wrapped Hermione into a gently hug. "It's good to see you're well dear," Minerva smiled.

"Thank you," Hermione couldn't help but shed a tear as she felt the warm embrace of her favourite professor.

"If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to write," McGonagall said as she pulled away.

Hermione hugged her professor once more. "Oh, Minerva, I'm so sorry I've brought this mess on everyone. I didn't think they would attack Hogwarts," she cried as she shook her head.

"Nonsense dear, no one expected it, it is not your fault, now you make sure you take care of yourself, alright?" Minerva said sternly with a smile.

Hermione nodded and made her way to the sofa where she leaned against Ginny's shoulder. Ginny wrapped an arm around her friend and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"I'm so glad you'll be staying with us for a while Hermione," Ginny sighed, thankful that her best friend was safe.

"I won't stay long, I'll find a new place as soon as I can," she sighed. "I can't place you in danger as well."

Ginny snorted. "Stay as long as you need to Hermione, no one is going to come near me, or my child," she mused.

"I'd like to see the witch or wizard that tried," Draco scoffed as he took a seat on the other side of Hermione.

"Damn right," Ginny nodded with a grin.

Hermione laughed at their exchange and wondered just when Draco had become so chummy with all of her friends. While they certainly had agreed to get along, it now seemed they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. "This is weird," she said.

Draco laughed and gave her a slight nudge. "You don't know the half of it, Red over here has forced me to come over for dinner every single night since you've been in the hospital, I'm not sure how much more of this I can take Granger, I might have to quit, I'm sorry. I'll hand in my resignation on Monday," he teased.

"No one can force you to go to dinner," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Sure, but do I really want to be the one to argue with a pregnant woman?" Draco pretended to be afraid.

"Oh please, you jumped at the chance to have dinner with the Potters, if I didn't know any better I'd say you had a little crush," Ginny mocked.

"Red hair isn't my type," he smirked.

"Who said anything about your crush being me?" Ginny teased with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione snorted and nearly spat out her drink. "Ginny!"

But Draco's reaction nearly had them rolling on the floor. "Ah, you've caught me Red, I've been trying to infiltrate my way into your marriage this whole time and steal Saint Potter away from you," he chuckled.

Hermione decided she rather liked to hear Draco's laugh, it was rare, which made it all the more pleasant.

"What's this about my marriage?" Harry asked as he adjusted his glasses, clueless as to what was going on.

The three of them stared at each other and couldn't stop the laughter that exploded from them. They laughed even harder as Harry uncomfortably walked away. Ginny trailed after him and place a kiss on his cheek to reassure him everything was fine.

"They're disgusting," Draco grimaced as they watched Ginny whisper into Harry's ear.

"I think they're sweet," Hermione sighed at her two best friends. She felt a pair of eyes watching her and she turned to meet them with a blush. "What?"

Draco shrugged and turned his attention elsewhere. "You know, you're right, it's not safe for Ginny if you stayed here too long," he muttered.

Hermione frowned and crossed her legs beneath her. "I know."

"Even with the added protection, if they got into Hogwarts, I'm sure they could easily get into here," he continued.

"Where are you going with this Malfoy?" she sighed.

"Well, I've got room if you need a place to stay and get sick of the two love birds over there," he shrugged.

Hermione turned to him, her eyes searching for answers. "Why?"

"Because you can't go back to your place," he shrugged again.

"But yours is rather close to mine isn't it?" she frowned.

"The least likely they'll suspect it. I've spoken to Kingsley and he thinks it's a good idea. Besides, only two people know where I live at the moment. You and Blaise. Though I'm not sure how you even found my place, I made sure it was untraceable," he frowned.

"You brought me there once, remember?" she said with a smirk.

"Right, well anyway, it's an option if you don't want to stay here. Just give me a few days of notice so I can make arrangements."

"Thank you," she smiled.

Draco smirked. "What did I say about thanking me?"

"And what did I say about needing you," she whispered.

"Touché," he nodded before taking a sip from his drink. "What do you think they're talking about," Draco nodded in the direction of the hallway where they found Harry, Ron and Kingsley furiously discussing something important.

"No idea," Hermione frowned.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry's POV<strong>

"Sir, this is the biggest lead we've got, if we don't follow it now we could lose our chance," Harry whispered angrily, trying to keep his voice low.

"I understand Harry, but I can't just let you two go running off like you did last time, there are too many variables at play here, too many uncertainties," Kingsley sighed.

Harry was surprised to hear Ron speak next. "And we have too many uncertainties sitting around doing nothing as well!" he yelled. "My best friend nearly died and my sister is three months away from having a baby. I will not sit around with my thumb up my arse and watch while something else horrible happens. We need to go into the Forbidden Forest, and we need to do it now," he growled.

Harry was impressed. Ron was the last person he expected to ever willingly go head first into the dark forest, especially after their experiences with it over the years. He watched as Kingsley considered their options and could tell he was coming to the same conclusion each time.

"You're going to go whether I allow it or not aren't you?" he sighed. The two boys nodded and Kingsley straightened himself up. "Very well, you may investigate your lead, _if_ you allow backup to accompany you. While I don't doubt your abilities, I also know both of you have a tendency to leap first before looking."

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and nodded. "Fair enough Kingsley, thank you," Harry agreed as he held out his hand. The three men shook hands and made their way back into the other room to rejoin the party. Harry and Ron however gulped as they saw both Ginny and Hermione blocking their way with their hands on their hips. Draco was leaning against the doorway with an amused expression on his face.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Ginny growled.

"Harry, Ronald, don't think you two are going to running off to God knows where, getting yourself into all kinds of trouble without me," Hermione scolded as she dragged the two by the arms back into the hallway, away from listening ears. Ginny and Draco soon joined them, the latter only listening in out of intrigue.

Harry tried to smile but instantly looked down at the floorboards as wife glared daggers back at him. Once again, it was Ron's voice that surprised him. "Look 'Mione, Harry and I both know we'd get nowhere without you, but you need to stay here and protect Ginny. And Ginny don't start," they all jumped back at his tone as he pointed to his sister. "You will sit here and wait until we return. If you think of doing anything to put that child in harm's way, I'll, I'll kill you, you hear?" he growled.

No one dared to correct Ron by saying killing her would be counterproductive because they were all too stunned by his ferocity. Harry smiled as they all slowly nodded their heads, except Draco who had a strange smirk on his face. "What's with you Malfoy?" he scoffed.

"You'll hate me for saying this Potter, but I actually agree with both of you for once. I'll make sure both of them don't leave," he nodded and laughed as the two witches turned their glares back to him.

"Er- thanks Malfoy," Harry grimaced.

"Yeah, thanks mate," Ron offered after.

"Oh don't you two start thanking me too," Draco growled and stomped away mumbling under his breath.

Harry watched confusedly, not sure what just happened, but it was Hermione's laugh that only confused him more. "What was that about?" he frowned.

"Nothing," Hermione chuckled to herself as Ron and Harry looked at each other with a shrug.

"When are you leaving," Ginny squeaked softly.

"Not until Friday," Harry smiled, offering a reassuring hug to his wife.

"We'll make sure to be back Monday," Ron added with a comforting smile. Harry grunted as he felt a pair of arms squish him and Ron together.

"'Mione, you're crushing us," he sputtered out.

"Sorry, I just, come back safe boys," she sighed as she pulled back.

Harry and Ron nodded as they led the girls back into the other room, knowing there were still plenty of people that wanted to wish Hermione well. Harry was relieved that they managed to gain the support of his wife and his best friend, oddly enough through the help of Draco Malfoy. It was hard enough that they had to leave and he knew he would be constantly worried about Ginny, but this was something that needed to be done. He and Ron had drawn up plans weeks ago and decided that they'd be going with or without Kingsley's support. They originally intended on leaving the following week, but with the recent attack on Hermione, it became all the more urgent they left as soon as possible.

* * *

><p><strong>Ron's POV<strong>

"Ron lookout!" he could hear Harry call from behind him.

Ron rolled to the ground, narrowly dodging the spell fired from his left. He got to his feet and charged at the hooded figure that aimed in his direction, tackling them to the ground. He threw a fist hard into the figure's face, and was about rip the mask off when he felt himself fly backwards into a tree. "Fuck," he cursed as he tried to catch his breath, the wind having been knocked out of him. "Harry?" he called to his friend, relieved when he was soon joined by a pair of round glasses.

"We're surrounded," Harry yelled. "Where the hell is our backup?"

Ron growled at the four men that surrounded them. "When I say, fire as many spells as you can, got it?" Ron demanded. He took four breaths before screaming as loud as he could. "Now!" he yelled as he turned around and blasted the large tree with his wand. He jumped out of the way and began to fire spell after spell at their attackers while the tree came to the ground. Bodies flew in every direction to dodge the tree, providing a momentary distraction for Harry and Ron to escape.

"Good one Ron!" Harry commented.

"I have my moments," he panted as they ran through the forest. They finally came to a group of wizards and slowed their pace. "Where the hell have you been?" Ron growled as he shoved one of the Aurors to the ground. He was about to punch another when he could feel Harry's hand on his shoulder.

"Ron, look," Harry whispered, pointing to the Aurors' faces.

Ron looked to each and noticed their eyes were blank and the seemed to be confused as to what they were doing there.

"Confundus charm," Harry whispered and Ron nodded.

"Two of them are missing," Ron frowned as he re-counted their supposed back up.

"This was a set up," Harry gasped as Ron came to the same conclusion. "We should go; I'll send a patronus to Kingsley."

Ron watched as the silver stage erupted from Harry's wand and bolted off through the night. Harry turned to leave the forest when Ron stopped him. "What about them?" he asked nodded to the group of confused Aurors.

"Right," Harry frowned. "Oy, you lot, follow me!"

Ron watched as the men turned and slowly followed Harry out of the forest. When the last of them disappeared out of the trees Ron made to follow but a sound to his right caught his attention. He turned on his heels and ducked just in time to see a spell fire into the tree behind him. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the familiar Auror robes take off into the woods. "Bastard, come back here and fight!" he screamed as he chased behind the traitor.

"Ron!" Harry yelled after him, but he was too far ahead.

Ron raced through the branches firing multiple spells at the man and dodging countless others being fired back. He charged on, running as fast as he could before he finally felt himself catching up. He jumped over a large log and grabbed onto the man's legs as they both came crashing to the ground. Ron scrambled to his feet and fired a spell, knocking the man out. "Let's see who you are," he growled as he bent over to remove the dark mask, but before he could lift it, he felt himself blasted away to the side. He grabbed his arm and screamed as a dark figure marched towards him.

"Where's the girl," the familiar voice cackled.

Ron spat at Bellatrix's feet. "You'll have to kill me first," he barked.

Bellatrix laughed with glee. "Oh I'll do more than that," she licked her lips as she raised her wand.

Ron shut his eyes but felt relief as he heard Harry and several other shouts from behind him. He watched as Bellatrix and her supporters take off into the night, including the Auror that had betrayed them.

"Ron!" Harry shouted.

"Over here!" he called and smiled as his friend crouched in front of him.

Kingsley knelt down as well and placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Did you see who it was?"

Ron shook his head and winced as he tried to get to his feet, clutching at his arm the entire time. "Good thing you got here mate, I was a gonner," Ron sighed as they made their way out of the forest.

"We need to keep this quiet, who knows who else is involved," Kingsley whispered as the rejoined the rest of the Aurors.

Ron nodded as his eyes turned to stone. It was happening all over again, there was no one they could trust but each other.

* * *

><p><strong>Hermione's POV<strong>

Hermione paced the room Monday night, every five minutes glancing at the clock on the wall. Ginny's hand was pointed at home, but Harry's was stuck in 'Mortal Peril' for the last two days.

"You're wearing a hole in the carpet," Draco drawled from the sofa, but shut his mouth when Hermione glowered at him.

Ginny was curled up under a blanket on the other corner of the sofa, a cup of tea shaking in her hands.

"That's it, I'm going after them," Hermione growled as she marched for the door. She suddenly found herself stopped by a pair of hands as Draco appeared in front of her. "Move," she spat, trying to dodge around him. She suddenly felt herself being tossed over his shoulder. She kicked and punched at his back until she fell to the sofa with a huff.

"You're not going anywhere," he scolded.

Finally the three heads turned to the clock as they heard the familiar chime. Ginny let out a cry as she saw Harry's face slowly move to "Hospital". Before any of them could go anywhere however, a silver stag burst into the room. They sighed with relief as Harry's voice rang through the room.

"Hey, we're fine, Ron's got a broken arm, but that's about it. We think someone might have deceived us, one of the Aurors is on their side, we don't know who else might be a spy. We'll be home later tonight to tell you more. Love you Ginny," the patronus disappeared at the end of the message, and Hermione could feel the room start to relax.

However it was unsettling to think that they couldn't even trust the Auror department anymore. None of them wanted to say it, but they were all thinking it, this was starting to bigger than they had expected.

Hermione bolted from the room and up the stairs, searching through her stuff. Finally she pulled out the small black diary she had neglected and crashed to floor, tearing open the pages to where she had left of. She found herself unable to read however as she sobbed into her hands, fearful for the safety of her friends. Her only family she had left. She spent the rest of the evening sitting there, crying for all the lives that had been lost and the lives that could be taken from her. She was starting to understand how Harry felt. No one deserved to get hurt on her behalf.

A familiar voice pulled her from her sorrows and she quickly ran back down the stairs. Ginny had already thrown herself into Harry's arms so she flung herself to Ron. "Oh Ron are you alright?" she asked as she pulled away, noticing the sling that held his arm.

"Yeah I reckon I will be. They said I'd heal faster if I stayed there, but I'd rather be at home," he shrugged as he slouched down into the couch, exhaustion written all across his face.

"He was brilliant," Harry beamed before he too crashed to the sofa.

Ron blushed at the compliment as he made room for Ginny to squeeze herself between them.

Draco and Hermione sat in the two chairs opposite and Hermione brought her feet up to the edge of the seat, resting her head on her knees.

"Kingsley's raging," Harry finally said as he looked to Ron. "He doesn't know who to trust anymore."

"He has a right to," Ron growled, "those back stabbing cowards," he spat. "I quit this afternoon you know?" he added.

"Really?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I can't work with a bunch of cowards, going to go help George out for a bit in the shop, and help out Harry on the side. Harry said he couldn't quit, it would look to suspicious, but at least we have one person on the inside," Ron sighed.

Hermione nodded in agreement and smiled at her two friends. "I'm just relieved you two are alright," she yawned. "But we can discuss this more tomorrow. We should really all get some sleep, Ron, you can take my room, I'll sleep down here," she offered but Ron shook his head.

"No it's okay, I might pop by the Burrow, mum surely is having a mental breakdown by now," he smiled as he turned his way to the fireplace. As he disappeared into the flames she waved goodnight to Harry and Ginny who started to make their way up the staircase.

"Oh, Draco? Thanks for watching out for my girls," Harry smiled as he paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Feel free to crash on the couch tonight, it's late," he nodded as he followed his wife back up the steps.

Draco scratched the back of neck before standing up, unsure of what to do. "I should go really," he muttered as he made his way to the fireplace as well.

Hermione grabbed a hold of his elbow and stopped him. When he looked down at her with a frown she smiled up at him. "Stay?" she whispered, and sighed with relief as he nodded and sat back down in his chair.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Hermione conjured a pillow and some blankets, setting up a small bed for Draco, eager to busy herself before she had another mental breakdown. She was just fluffing the pillow for the fifth time when she felt fingers wrap around her wrist. She looked up to see Draco staring down at her with a tired look on his face.

"I heard you upstairs," he frowned.

Hermione looked to the ground but felt her head being lifted as he gently grasped her chin, tilting her head back to look at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

Hermione nodded as she took a step backwards, only to find Draco taking a step forwards again.

"You can talk to me you know."

"Why don't you want me to keep saying thank you?" she asked hesitantly.

Draco sighed and lowered his hands. "Because, like I said, it makes me feel like you actually need me."

Hermione blinked. "And what do you want to do when that happens?"

Draco shook his head and tried to turn away only to find this time it was Hermione pulling him back to her. "I do need you Draco," she admitted. She swallowed back her tears and stared up into his eyes trying to tell him it was okay, trying to tell him that he was important, but all she could say was, "thank you."

It wasn't much, nor was it particularly long, but Draco leaned forward with a sigh and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He didn't try to deepen it, but just that simple touch was enough to send electricity jolting through Hermione's blood. She felt sometime stir inside her and she exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding as he stepped away.

"Goodnight Hermione," Draco whispered as he crawled into his makeshift bed.

"Goodnight Draco," she responded as she turned away and made her way up to her room, a single finger coming up to her lips.


	22. Innocence

Disclaimer: I do not own anything by J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Twenty-One: <strong>_**Innocence**_

**Hermione's POV**

"Oh," Hermione gasped as she put the small book down on the table.

"What is it?" Harry frowned as he turned his attention to his bushy haired friend.

Hermione shook her head. "Nevermind," she squeaked as she picked the diary up again. It was hard for her to speak about Bellatrix's life to her friends without starting an argument. Just the other day, she had mentioned how Bellatrix had her heart broken in fourth year, and shortly after she had delved even further into Dark Magic. This fact resulted in a lot of criticism from her friends. They told her she was mad for even sympathizing with such an evil woman, but Hermione couldn't help but be further drawn into the life of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Today was no different. The diary told the story of a young witch who was trying to protect her youngest sister, so she resorted to a variety of dark magic to protect her. Hermione briefly wondered what she would do in order to protect the ones she loved. It was a dangerous path she was on, but she couldn't help but better understand her enemy just a bit more every day.

In order to keep herself from going in too deep like she had last time, Hermione promised her friends that she would find other ways to pass the time as well. In between readings she often found herself working furiously on paperwork for the center, as well as arranging proper protection to surround the place. Yet, here she was, once again, head first in the little leather book over breakfast.

Her eyes widened as she read the next passage and nearly spat out her cereal. "I-I think I found something," she stammered as she placed the book on the table for Harry to read through. She watched as Harry's brow began to furrow and handed the book back to her.

"We need to find out more information on ancient Dark Magic, do you know if Malfoy has anything on the subject?" Harry asked.

Hermione thought back to the night in the Potter's living room. Neither of them have acknowledge the kiss, both just continuing with their work as if it had never happened, which is what Hermione had asked for months ago to begin with, but she found herself only wishing they could discuss it. "I can ask him," she said as she made the decision to pay him a visit in the afternoon.

While she was grateful Draco had offered her a place to stay, she wasn't sure how to tell her best friends that she didn't want to live with them, so instead she decided to stay put. At least for the time being. It turned out to be a rather pleasant living arrangement as Ginny was starting to need some assistance with the pregnancy and Harry was becoming busier and busier with work. At first it was rather nice seeing a couple so in love with each other, but after a while, she had to admit it was starting wear rather thin. She still enjoyed seeing her friends happy together, but eventually it only started to make her feel lonelier and lonelier. There were many nights where Hermione would find herself crying until she fell asleep, wishing she had someone in her life, wishing she still had her parents around to tell her everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

><p>Just after lunch, Hermione found herself coughing and brushing away the soot that surrounded her as she landed in Draco's fireplace.<p>

"Hey," she smiled as she stepped into the small room.

"Hey," he said as he looked up from the book he was reading.

"What are you reading?" she asked curiously.

Draco tossed the book in her direction and she smiled at the title. "Wizard of OZ? That's a muggle book," she laughed as she sat next to him.

"So?" he smirked.

Hermione sighed as she put the book on the table and turned to face Draco. "I have something to ask you," she started hesitantly.

"Go on?" he drawled.

"Well, I think I found a bit of information on some rather… dark magic, but we need more information," she explained.

Draco nodded in understanding at what she was asking him but gave a small sigh. "I just don't know if I can go back there again," he said as he stared down at his coffee table.

"Hey, it's okay, we'll find another way, don't worry," she replied with a reassuring smile. She wanted to reach out and hug him, but refrained, knowing it might make him uncomfortable. It was rather sad for her to see him so broken up about his old home and she knew she could never ask him to do something that so obviously hurt.

"Well I guess that's all you came here for then?" he asked, slight disappointment on his face.

"Yeah, well, no not exactly," she replied with a blush. Draco turned his entire body towards her, giving her his full attention. "Well, I know after the first time we agreed to not talk about it and wanted to put the past in our past, but I was wondering…" Hermione trailed off, unsure how she was going to phrase her next few words. But Draco raised a hand to silence her as he finished her thought for her.

"You were wondering if we could open up the conversation for discussion?" he raised an eyebrow. Hermione nodded shyly and started to blush as Draco smiled. "It's your decision," he said casually as he leaned back against the cushions, one arm resting on the back of the sofa.

Hermione frowned into her hands. "Well, I'm not saying I want it to happen again, but I think we should talk about it, you know?"

"It being what?" he teased.

"The kiss," she blushed.

"Ah, yes," _the kiss_, he smirked.

Hermione suddenly felt like she was a mouse being toyed with by a cat as Draco eyed her curiously. "I just, well, I don't know what to think," she admitted.

Draco frowned as he took in this information. Here was Hermione Granger, actually admitting she didn't know something. _Incredible,_ he thought.

"Well it's simple really," Draco shrugged, "you asked me what I want to do every time you make me feel needed, and so I showed you."

"Is that all then?" she asked with a frown. Hermione thought for sure there was more to it than that. That it took more than a thank you for him to want to kiss her. Surely he could feel it too, couldn't he?

"Yes, so really if you don't want me to kiss you anymore, then all you have to do is stop thanking me," he shrugged.

Hermione wanted to scream at his apparent lack of interest. How could he not treat this as a huge deal? They were once enemies after all, and now all of a sudden he wanted to kiss her all because she was grateful for him saving her life, or building a dock, or helping with research, or saying something nice, or- Hermione cut off her thoughts as she realized she was starting to have a lot of reasons to thank Malfoy for something. It felt strange, but she knew that she really did need him in her life. In what way, she wasn't sure, but she knew it would be empty if he wasn't there. After all, since her first day Hogwarts, he had always been a part of her life in a way, hadn't he?

"Look, Granger-"

"Oh so it's not Hermione anymore?" she scowled.

Draco rolled his eyes, "sorry, it's a habit. Look, Hermione, I'm not going to tell you anything I don't think you want to hear, not yet anyway, besides, I'm not entirely sure what this all is either. But I can tell you that I enjoy working together, and I enjoy being friends with you. Dare I say it, I even enjoy the mad people you call your friends," he laughed. "You've helped me to see what I really want out of my life, and at the end of the day I will do what it takes to get it, Slytherin after all, but for now I have to admit that this mess we're in, this is bigger than all of us. It's especially bigger than your hair, and it needs to be over for any of us to be happy again. So for now, anything that happens, let's just go with it and not let it ruin our friendship because I don't want to have to say this again but, I do need you Hermione. You've made it possible to see a future again," he sighed as he finished his reluctant speech.

Hermione blinked a few times, unsure if she had dreamt what she just heard or if he had really admitted all that to her. A wolfish grin spread across her face as she realized he confessed he needed her. "Okay," she agreed before adding, "but I will make you say that again." Hermione winked as she made her way to the kitchen. "Do you want some tea?"

Draco smiled as he watched the witch cross his room. "Sure," he called out.

"So when are you going to move your stuff here?" he asked when she returned with two mugs in her hands.

Hermione shrugged as she set them down on the table and sank back into the cushions, her feet curling up beside her. "I don't know, they just seem so happy with me there, but I don't think I can take it anymore. I never leave the house, not by the door anyhow; I don't feel safe knowing anyone could see me coming and going."

"I can talk to them if you want," Draco offered as he reached for his mug and blew on the hot liquid before taking a sip.

Hermione shook her head as she picked up her own hot drink and took a sip. "No, I should talk to them tonight. It's not safe. It's been two weeks and nothing has happened, but I don't want to take another chance. Not to mention I don't think emotionally I can stand another night there," she groaned.

"I told you you'd get sick of them," Draco grinned at the thought that he was right.

"It's not that, I just feel," she sighed.

"Alone?" Draco asked as his eyes filled with understanding. Hermione nodded in response, grateful that someone understood her current mindset. "Well, feel free to pop by later tonight, I can turn one of the other rooms into a spare and transfigure a bed for you," he shrugged.

Hermione finished her tea and rose to her feet with a smile. "Thank you," she said and turned to the fireplace with a handful of floo powder. She felt herself flung around and face to face with Draco, a hungry look in his eyes.

"What did I say about using those words?" he sighed.

Hermione smirked as she pulled away from him. "Thank you," she laughed as she dropped the floo powder and disappeared back to Harry's house, leaving a dumbfounded Draco staring at a pile of ashes.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

Draco let out a frustrated groan as he watched Hermione disappear and he couldn't understand what was happening to him. Not only did he admit that he needed her, he also made it clear that if he was going to kiss her all she had to do was mutter two simple words. She knew this and she said it anyway and he couldn't comprehend what it had meant.

"This is what I get for being nice," he grumbled as he kicked some soot that had fallen on his carpet. For a moment he sat on the arm of his couch and contemplated what to do with the rest of his day when he remembered that she might return in a matter of hours and he had nowhere for her to sleep, comfortably at least.

He groaned as he trudged his way up the stairs and found himself stuck with which room to use. He stepped into one of his spare rooms and looked around at the bare walls. He used this room to store junk in and knew he could clear it out and turn it into a bedroom easily, but he was suddenly struck with an even better idea.

He knew he would be playing with fire, but he couldn't help but feel the sudden urge to get what he wants, and right now, he wanted her, no matter what it took. While he had promised he would only kiss her if she thanked him, he was determined to get her to say those two little words as much as possible. With that in mind he made his way to his office and began to move his desk and cauldrons out of there to create a bit of space. He put his cauldron in the other room and quickly transfigured his desk into a bed. He placed it against the large window that took up the entire back wall. He cleared off a few shelves and transfigured them into a dresser for her clothes. He also picked out a few books from the large bookcase that took up the other wall, save for the doorway, that he thought she might like to read and placed them on a small nightstand he conjured up next to the bed. Satisfied with his work he made his way back downstairs to grab a bite to eat.

He checked the time and noticed she probably wouldn't arrive until after dinner. Tossing an apple in the air he contemplated what to do next. He thought briefly on their conversation and idea struck him. He felt his stomach turn as he knew that what he was about to do was one of the stupidest things he could do, but he also knew that it had to be done. He knew there was no other way they could learn about this dark magic Hermione mentioned, other than from the many books he knew for certain was back at the Manor. He gripped his wand tightly and stepped through the fireplace, thinking of his destination.

When he arrived in the large drawing room he was grateful no one was there to greet him. He didn't have time to deal with his father today, so he quietly tip-toed through the Manor, only stopping to hide anytime he heard faint footsteps coming down the hall. When he was finally certain his father was on the opposite side of the house, he made his way to the family library.

Staring up at the tall shelves that housed thousands of tomes, he cast a quick summoning charm on all the books on Dark Magic. He had to react fast as nearly a hundred books flew in his direction. With a swish of his wrist, the books slowly hovered in the air. He checked each title briefly, sending back any books he knew would be of no use. When he had gathered about a dozen that he thought for sure would have the answers they needed, he shrunk them down to fit in his pocket and slowly made his way back into the hallway, checking first to see if anyone was coming.

Draco managed to make it back to the fireplace without being seen. He let out a deep breath as he stepped under the large mantel but froze as he heard a familiar, chilling voice echo through the room.

"Draco?" Lucius snarled from the entryway.

But before he could even react, Draco dropped a handful of floo powder and muttered his address low enough so his father couldn't hear.

Draco resized the books and placed them in a pile on his table as he ran to his kitchen, panting as he tried to control his rising temper. He turned on the tap and clutched the edges of the sink as he watched the water swirl down the drain, allowing it to soothe his emotions. Finally when he had calmed himself down he made himself a quick sandwich and placed himself back on his sofa, waiting for Hermione to arrive.

"So that was easier than I thought," Hermione smiled as she stepped through the fireplace, her trunk and everything beside her. "Turns out Kingsley had already spoken to Harry about it; they were just waiting for me to say something. Of course they didn't want me to go, but figured I'd be more comfortable anyway."

"Granger, what is that?" Draco scoffed as he pointed at the orange fur ball in her arms.

He watched as the furry beast jumped down from her arms and stretched itself on his carpet. "Crookshanks?" she asked, "he's my cat," she blinked thinking it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You never said you had a cat," he scowled.

"I didn't? Oh, well I do," she shrugged. "Is that okay?"

"Yes, yes," he sighed as he watched the cat make itself right at home. "How come I never saw it around at Harry's?" he asked.

"Him, and because he didn't like that place much. He's part Kneazle you know," she explained as if that was all that needed to be said. "Hmm, he seems to like it here though," she nodded as Crookshanks leaped onto one of the chairs and curled up into a ball to sleep.

"Well you'll have to take it out for walks or whatever you do with it," Draco groaned.

"_Him,_" she reminded Draco and smiled. "Oh he's really quite independent, you'll hardly know he's here, so where am I to sleep then?" she finally asked.

Draco's eyes lit up and he smiled as he led her up the stairs. She frowned as they stopped in front of a door she very well knew wasn't much of a bedroom. Draco opened the door and watched as her frown disappeared to be replaced with a look of wonder. "Oh," she gasped as they stepped inside.

Draco summoned the rest of her things up and placed them at the side of the room for her to go through later. He smiled as he watched her sit on the edge of the bed, bouncing a few times to test the mattress. "This is too much, than-" she caught herself with a blush before she finished her sentence.

_She's learning,_ he smirked as he leaned in the doorway. "I've got something else for you too," he smiled as her eyes lit up with curiosity.

The pair walked back downstairs and into the living room where Draco pointed to a stack of books. He sat on the couch and crossed his legs on top of the coffee table as he watched her get closer. When she traced her delicate fingers along the spines of each book he couldn't help but beam with pride at his job well done.

"How did you" she gasped. "You didn't?"

"No big deal," he shrugged. "We did need them after all." He smiled as she joined him on the sofa, picking up one of the books to begin reading. He let out a yawn and got back to his feet, figuring it was time for him to get some sleep. "Oh by the way, the bathroom is to the right at the top of the stairs, if you need anything you know where I'll be," he shrugged.

"Wait," he heard her call after him. With a grin he turned back to her and smiled.

"Yes?" he asked expectantly.

"Nevermind," she said with a frown.

Draco let out a low groan and muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Hermione said, her hands coming to her hips as she marched over to him.

"Nothing," he growled, not sure where his foul mood had come from. He turned to head back up the stairs but found himself tripping over something that yowled back at him. "Damn cat!" he snarled.

"Don't you yell at him! Why don't you watch where you're going?" Hermione huffed as she followed Draco up the stairs.

Draco turned on his heels as he reached the top and glared hungrily down at the girl with the big brown eyes and messy hair. He froze on the spot, not sure what to say, but when she shoved her way past him he followed her. "So what, all of a sudden you're not grateful? I go out of my way to make your stay comfortable and all you care about is a stupid cat?" he growled. _Shit_, he thought. This was not exactly going as planned.

"Is that what this is about?" Hermione asked with an amused smile. She shook her head and shut her bedroom door.

Draco let out a frustrated groan as he made to turn back to his own room, but couldn't stop the smile that crawled on his lips as he heard a faint, "Thank you," through her bedroom door.

"You win this time Granger," he laughed as he crawled into his own bed, his door slightly ajar in case of an emergency.

* * *

><p><strong>Hermione's POV<strong>

"_Now, now, be a good little Mudblood, and keep quiet," the voice snarled as it hovered above her. Hermione tried to push the man off of her but she couldn't lift her arms. She couldn't even scream, her voice stolen from her. Slowly, she could feel each rib crack underneath his knee and as the first wave of the curse hit her she remembered everything turning black._

_She looked around her as she stood in the middle of a large room. The stone and windows all felt familiar to her. A young boy bumped into her and he looked up at her in fear as he muttered his apologies. As she walked through the halls of Hogwarts she froze as she saw a boy about her age kissing a girl behind a statue. _

_Suddenly she found herself standing over the girl that she saw earlier and felt the magic course through her veins and out the tip of her wand as she blasted the girl with curse after curse. Hermione felt her power grow. "You little slut, think you can kiss him and get away with it," Hermione spat, her voice ripe with venom. As the girl screamed for help Hermione watched as her face slowly transformed into another. No longer was the black haired girl writhing beneath her wand, but instead a tiny, blonde girl, who wore her hair in pigtails, took her place. "Flora?" Hermione cried as she ended the curse and knelt down beside the girl who lay lifeless on the ground beside her. As she sobbed over the body, she noticed a small crumpled photo in the girl's tiny hands. She pulled it out and recognized it as the one they took at the ice cream shop many months ago._

_Hermione shut her eyes and screamed as she felt herself being hit with another curse. "Please," she begged the figure who now straddled her waist. "Please, kill me," she screamed. Her breathing cut short as she felt a hand against her throat. Tears fell down her face as the figure ripped her clothes and pulled down their own. Just as he reached to pull her closer to him, he removed his mask and Hermione gasped at the grey eyes that stared back at her._

"_D-Draco?" she cried. "Draco, please, d-don't!" she screamed as she felt her body shake._

"DRACO DON'T," she screamed as she jolted awake, only to see large grey eyes staring at hers. Her heart sank as she recalled her dream and she scrambled away from his grasp, not out of fear he would hurt her, but fearing she had hurt him. "I-I'm so sorry," she cried into her hands as she felt the bed shift.

She could feel his arms cradle her to his chest and his hand gently run through her hair, but she still couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I'm sorry," she sniffled as she wiped away her tears.

"Shh, why are you sorry?" he asked as he tried to comfort her the best way he knew how.

"B-because in my dream, it was, it was," she shook her head, unable to finish that sentence.

She heard Draco sigh and he kissed the top of her head before he placed his hand under her chin and lifted her to face his. "It was just a dream, I would never hurt you Hermione, _never_," he assured her.

Hermione nodded but pulled away from his grasp and brought her knees to her chest. "It wasn't just that though," she said with a shiver. "Ever since I started reading that damn book I've been having these dreams, only they feel like memories, and it's scenes from Bellatrix's life, only, I'm her and I'm doing these despicable things, and I actually, I actually like it," she sputtered as more tears filled her eyes. "Does that make any sense?" she sobbed.

"It makes perfect sense," Draco said softly. "But I think you should stop reading for a while, take a little break, okay?" he frowned.

Hermione nodded as she stretched her legs back out. "I hurt an innocent little girl in my dream too," she whispered.

Draco moved closer to her. "Bellatrix did those things, it wasn't you," he tried to reassure her.

Hermione shook her head and stared back up into those grey eyes. "No you don't understand, this wasn't someone she hurt. I mean, at first it was, but then the girl transformed. This was someone I knew. This was a small girl I met months ago in an ice cream shop. This was my fault," she heaved a big sob again and clutched a pillow to her stomach. Hermione's body flinched slightly at the feeling of a hand tracing circles on her back, but soon found the motion comforting.

"It was just a dream Hermione, you haven't hurt anyone," Draco sighed.

Hermione whipped her head back to Draco and frowned. "Haven't I though? Ron's got a broken arm, Neville still walks with a limp, and three, magnificent professors are dead because of me," she growled. Hermione couldn't understand why no one could see this was her fault. No, not her fault, it was that blasted prophecy's fault. More tears streamed down her face and she felt herself enveloped in warm arms as her head fell into Draco's chest. "I'm sorry for waking you up," she sniffed.

Draco chuckled. "If you apologize one more time I'll-"

"You'll what?" she frowned.

"I'll kiss you," he smirked.

Hermione let out a small huff and pulled away, crossing her arms as she did. "So now I can't be thankful or sorry?" she asked. She half wondered if he was making these rules impossible on purpose, or if he was just being his usual git self. "Fine, I won't say either," she scowled.

"Thank you," he grinned with a cheeky smile.

Hermione shoved him from her bed and watched as he tripped and fell to the floor. At first she started to laugh but then when he clutched his head and started to moan she worried she might have actually hurt him. Quickly she rushed out of bed and knelt to his side, trying to get a look at his head. The lighting wasn't the best, but she thought she could see something dark seeping onto the carpet, she wasn't sure but she panicked. "Oh shoot! Draco, I'm so sorry!" she gasped as she brought her hand to her mouth. The next thing she knew, she was on her back and could feel a pair of rough hands in her hair. She clenched her eyes shut and suddenly felt her body freeze in fear.

"Shit, Granger," Draco sighed as he placed his hands on either side of her cheek. "Granger look at me," he begged. "I'm not him"

Hermione slowly opened her eyes, but her body lay stiff. She looked up at him, fear coursing through her body as he lowered his head. Draco lowered his forehead and placed it against hers. She could feel him inhale deeply as he closed his eyes. "Sorry, I-I shouldn't have done that," he stammered as he pushed himself away from her.

The moment he was off of her, she felt her muscles relax and the fear subside, but a new feeling took its place. She felt cold without him hovering above her. A frown slowly slipped onto her face as she sat herself up and clutched her knees. "You tricked me. I thought I seriously hurt you," she scolded, "all for a damn kiss?"

Draco sighed as he brought his hands to his face, tugging on his bangs. "I wasn't thinking, I should've known you wouldn't-just forget it," he growled more to himself than her.

Hermione chewed her bottom lip as she watched Draco's chest rise and fall with each breath. She shook her head knowing this was probably the last thing she should be doing but she leaned over and gently removed his hands from his face. A gentle hand touched his cheek as she leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his lips, lingering for only a second before she pulled away. Her face hovered above his and she blushed as he tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. "You won't hurt me," she breathed, barely a whisper. Their eyes met for a moment before she pulled away and returned to her spot on the floor.

Draco soon sat up himself and could only stare at the lips that had just willingly met his. Hermione finally turned to face him again, a frown returning to her lips. "And if you ever try something like that again I will hex your bloody balls off," she scolded, placing her hands on her hips.

Draco laughed at her foul language as he picked himself back up and brushed off his trousers. "I told you, I'm a Slytherin, I get what I want," he shrugged. As he sat at the edge of the bed, Hermione's frown slowly turned to a soft smile as she took the hand he offered to her and felt herself being pulled up from the floor beneath her.

"You didn't have to come in here you know," she said shyly.

"You were obviously terrified," he frowned.

"It was just a dream," she pointed out.

"You were crying," he argued.

"I would have been fine," she shrugged.

"You thought it was me," Draco raised his hand to signal it was an end to the conversation. "I did what was the right thing to do, no need to thank me, I know you are grateful, so I'll save you the pleasure of my lips again," he winked. "Do you want some breakfast? It's a bit early, but I don't think I can go back to sleep," he sighed.

"Sure," Hermione smiled.

They both turned to the door with their wands pointed as they heard a faint creak, but instantly started laughing at the cat that scowled in their direction as it sauntered back out the door.

"I hate that cat," Draco chuckled.

"I thought you hated me?" Hermione teased.

"Oh I still definitely hate you," Draco sighed as he tugged on one of Hermione's curls.

She swatted his hand away and grinned. "I hate you for tricking me back there," she smiled.

"I hate you for pushing me off the bed, I could have been seriously hurt!" he winked.

"You weren't," she rolled her eyes.

Hermione watched as he left the room and made his way to the staircase, giving her a minute to gather herself before joining him for breakfast. She stifled a yawn and considered getting in some more sleep, but as she glanced at her pillow she recoiled at the thought of falling back into her nightmares so she quickly scuffled out of her new room to start the day. It was going to be a long day of research, but it was better to start as early as possible, who knew when or where the next attack would be, they needed to be prepared.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So what do you think so far? There might be a bit of a break from the action and delve more into research, because this story is far from over I feel, but hope you are enjoying it so far. Just want to give a shout out to kzent, sampdoria, and shealone for all the consistent reviews! It's awesome to see you guys genuinely interested in this story! As far as all the other readers, don't worry if you don't feel up to reviewing, because I know sometimes I don't end up leaving reviews myself, simply because I get so caught up in the story :) More chapters will be coming soon! **


	23. Rules

**A/N:** Okay, so here's the next chapter! I wanted to get this up because I might have to take a break for a few days. Hope you enjoy it, happy reading! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything by J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Twenty-Two:<strong>_**Rules**_

**Hermione's POV**

Winter came early as the wind whipped through the streets. Hermione glanced out the front window of Draco's house and let out a small sigh as she watched snowflakes fall to the ground. She thought back to her memories as a child when her parents would take her outside to play in the snow, twirling her in the air as flakes buried into her hair. She shook her head and returned to her reading, pulling the blanket just a little bit higher as she snuggled into the sofa. Kingsley had arranged with her boss that she would work from home from now on, claiming it would be easier for her to commute to and from the centre, though really it was for her own protection. So she and Draco had fallen into a routine of sorts. Every morning she would rise before the sun and head downstairs to make breakfast. When Draco woke up they would eat, read the paper, make small talk, and then head into the living room to dive into their research.

Hermione would often start the morning by working on her actual job, while Draco read through both the books he brought back from the Manor, and the ones he already had at home. They'd work up until lunch, where they would usually take a break and order food, sometimes inviting Ginny or Ron to join them, as Harry was taking on more and more work in the Auror department as of late. After lunch, Hermione would read more from the diary, but only for an hour at a time, Draco had made sure of that so she wouldn't become obsessed. Then after she would help Draco read through the many books and take notes on whatever they could find. Finally, they would settle for some dinner, usually made by Draco, speak or read quietly in each other's company then go upstairs to bed. Her nightmares seemed less frequent, but when they did come, they seemed to be worse and worse. However, Draco was always there to comfort her, despite the irritation of Crookshanks for being woken up.

Currently, she was reading through a book called "Ancient Rituals of the Dark Arts". It didn't seem to have an Author and looked as if it were handmade, as some of the pages were loosely tucked in, falling out every once in a while. She paused from her reading as Draco re-entered the room with two mugs in his hands.

"Cocoa?" he asked.

Hermione took the mug. "I really appreciate that," she smiled, happy she found a loophole in his rules. He was disgruntled at first when she mentioned that he never said she could thank him in other ways, he only said she couldn't say the words, 'thank' and 'you', specifically in that order. She smirked as he stuck out his tongue and took his seat on the opposite end of the couch, their toes just brushing against each other.

"I found something in here that might be what we're looking for," she said as she sipped her hot chocolate.

"Yeah?" Draco asked with his eyebrows peaked.

"Well, I'm not sure exactly, the one passage is written in ancient Gaelic, but I thought it referenced something about a heart? I can't be sure," she frowned as she stared at the passage. "Why is half this book written in Gaelic and the other half English? It makes no sense," she muttered.

Draco held out a hand as he put his mug down and took the book from her. He quickly browsed the page and nodded. "Ah, yes, it basically speaks of a ritual where one can remove the heart, but keep the heart beating through a variety of enchantments and herbs. It used to be a way to preserve one's life when they would go to battle, so that as long as their heart was kept away from harm, they could not die. Obviously, they wouldn't be immortal, they could still die of old age, or their head being chopped off, but as long as their body remained intact and the heart kept beating, they would simply, pop the heart back in and go about their life. While interesting, I'm not sure this is what we're looking for… unless," Draco frowned. "No, it's probably nothing. Anyway, the ingredients listed, half of them are extinct."

Hermione blinked a couple times as Draco handed the book back to her. "When did you learn Gaelic?" she asked in disbelief.

She watched as Draco shrugged. "I know a lot of languages, French, German, Russian, Danish, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, and of course, Gaelic."

"Okay, say something in German," she lowered her eyes doubtfully.

"Sie creme auf lhre lippen gepeitscht haben," he smirked.

Hermione frowned and took another sip of her drink. "What does that mean?"

"You have whipped cream on your lips," she heard Draco chuckle.

Instantly her hand went to her mouth and she quickly wiped away the cream with her tongue, a slow blush crawling up her face. She couldn't believe she had been sitting there for that long, looking like a fool, and he didn't say anything until now. She was mortified and glared at him as he shook his head with a laugh.

"Du bist liebenswert," he laughed as his eyes crinkled, only causing Hermione to glare at him harder.

"What did you just call me," she glowered, but Draco shook his head, unwilling to respond.

_Adorable,_ he thought, but refused to tell her. Feeling it was one thing, but saying it aloud, that was one step too far for him he thought. He had admitted enough to her as it was, he wasn't going to say anything to her until he got some answers himself.

Hermione watched as he was clearly having too much fun mocking her. "Fine," she said in a huff and tossed the old book to the table. She picked up another book and began to read, thankful that it was actually in English this time. She could see Draco smile as he turned to his own book out of the corner of her eyes and she imagined herself smacking him over the head with her own book. At the thought of his imaginary shock a sly grin erupted on her face and she was finally able to focus back on her work.

They read through most of the afternoon, pausing a few times to stretch their legs or jot some notes. Hermione felt the cushions shift as Draco seemed to sit up a little straighter. She let her mind wander as she watched him read, his eyebrows furrowing together when he seemed deep in concentration. She also noticed that once in a while he would lick his lips and she briefly wondered if they tasted like cocoa. Embarrassed by her own thoughts she quickly brought her book up to her face, forcing herself to read, but the words all seemed to blur together on the page. Once again, she lowered it down and found herself staring at the blonde haired man before her.

"You're hair's getting long," she muttered, her eyes going wide as she realized she had said that aloud. However he didn't seem to notice as he leaned forward, engrossed in the book in front of him. She wondered what he could be reading about and as she opened her mouth she froze as he held up a finger to silence her.

"Hold on, we can discuss my hair later," he smirked, his eyes never leaving the page. Hermione blushed but soon put her own book down as she shifted closer. "I think I found something," he muttered as he held the book lower so she could read along.

Hermione read the brief passage and nodded her head before she rummaged through their piles of paperwork and books, picking up the small, black diary. She opened it to the page she marked where she found a phrase that instigated their little search and held the book out to him. "This is what she's referring to," Hermione pointed to the larger tome in Draco's hands. Her face suddenly went white as she started to draw the conclusions together and Draco's hand soon found itself gently on her back tracing circles as he too started to feel sick at the thought of it.

"She's buying herself some time because she needs to set everything up, but the prophecy was right wasn't it? She wants to cut out my heart and eat it," Hermione swallowed as she felt her lunch slowly rise.

"Well, she also has to wait until whatever power you hold starts to emerge, and even then, nothing will happen to you, I promise," Draco reassured her as he too felt his stomach churn at the thought.

"I think that's enough for today," Hermione sighed as she curled up into the sofa, pulling her blanket up over her shoulders.

Draco nodded and got up from the couch to go make dinner, leaving Hermione with her thoughts when she suddenly remembered something else she had read in Bellatrix's diary. Grabbing the small book, she threw the covers off of her and bolted into the kitchen. "I think I know what might be wrong with me," she panted as she entered the room, startling Draco as she spoke.

"Merlin's beard Granger, settle down, there's nothing wrong with you," he rolled his eyes as he regained his composure and began to throw some pasta in a pot of boiling water.

"Okay, not wrong with me or whatever, but like that rare magic that you all seem convinced I have," she returned the eye roll as she jumped up to sit on the counter. "I don't know why I didn't see it before, Bellatrix wrote about it herself, see, she ventured into the restricted section during fourth year to look up how to become an animagus, which really is quite an interesting process, you see first you have to place a-"

"Granger," Draco growled, "the point?"

Hermione blushed as she realized she had gotten off track and gave a small nod. "Right, well, she read in one of the books about rare qualities people have, and before you say anything about this being redundant, just listen. It says here that she read about a rare case where someone went years without knowing they had a rare type of magic embedded in their cores. One day they managed to uncover it and they found they had the ability to control every single element, not just one, but all of them. Unfortunately it also says he died shortly after not being able to control his magic," she frowned at the last part. "But what if that's me?" she asked.

Draco took the book and read the passage she was speaking about, thinking it over in his mind while Hermione watched. "Maybe, but now all of a sudden you believe you have some great power?" he asked with a smirk. "I mean, you're the brightest witch of our age, but you're not _that_ special," he teased.

Hermione smacked his arm playfully and jumped down from the counter. "I wish we knew how to find out," she muttered under her breathe.

"Well didn't we think it might be love?" he asked as he continued to stir the noodles.

Hermione shook her head and sighed. "It might be, but I'm not so sure, that seems too easy, besides, the prophecy mentions specifically the stars. I might write McGonagall and see if Hogwarts has any books on ancient astronomy." Hermione promptly left the kitchen, unaware of the disappointed sigh on Draco's lips as she went to find some parchment. She quickly scrawled a letter to her favourite professor and tucked it away in envelope to send later. When she returned to the kitchen to offer any help with dinner, she was surprised to see that it was nearly finished, so instead she turned her attention to her favourite activity as of late, annoying Draco.

With the flick of her wand, she watched as Draco looked around him for the spoon that was just stirring the sauce two seconds earlier. He groaned with confusion as he found it sitting on the other end of the counter. As he crossed the room to retrieve it Hermione cast another quick charm and almost couldn't hide her laughter as she watched Draco return to find his knife was now missing. He scratched his head and groaned when he noticed for some reason it was in the sink.

"I'm losing my mind," he muttered under his breath and Hermione couldn't help but chuckle.

"Having trouble there Malfoy?" she smirked. She ducked as he threw a hand towel in her direction, but squealed when a pair of hands soon found her waist.

"You little," she heard Draco growl as he pinched her sides.

"W-what?" she laughed, trying to pretend she was innocent, her eyes filling with tears of laughter. She bit her bottom lip and grinned cheekily up at him as she finally pried his tickling hands off of her. "What are you going to do about it?" she challenged. Immediately, she wished she could take it back as he took a step closer to her, her back touching the cupboards behind her.

"I can think of something," he licked his lips hungrily. Those damn lips, she cursed as she watched his tongue trace along the edges. She held her breath as he seemed to lean in, and she was debating between just letting it happen, or stomp on his foot when she noticed a large flame from behind him.

"DRACO FIRE!" she screamed as she pushed him away to put out the large flames coming from the stove. She had just finished putting out the flames and turned around to see a frowning Draco staring at the stovetop.

"It was turned off," he pondered, "I was sure of it."

Hermione let out a sigh and double checked that it was indeed off and shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't all the way off, these things happen," she said with a smile. Hermione turned and grabbed their plates, carrying them out to the dining room for a change, completely unaware of the contemplating eyes that followed her movements.

Finally, Draco joined her in the dining room and raised an eyebrow as she set the table, humming a pleasant tune. "Why are we eating in here?" he asked.

"You said so yourself you never use this room, so why not start now?" she replied with a smile. She watched as he took a seat across from her. The two of them ate their meals, Hermione rambling on about some interesting new thing she learned, and Draco quietly contemplating what had just happened.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

Draco stood hesitantly out front the small white door, silently wondering what exactly he was hoping to accomplish by coming here of all places, but he had a lot of time to kill, and Christmas was only a month away.

Ginny had come over for the day, claiming she needed some girl time, so Draco went over to Blaise's, however after an hour of listening to his friend goad him into speaking about his feelings for Hermione, and after another half hour of Draco telling him to piss off, he found himself with nothing to do. He wandered Diagon Alley for another hour, bought some groceries, and briefly considered checking out the Weasley's shop, but scoffed at the latter idea, thinking while he didn't exactly hate them anymore, he still found them rather annoying at times. He sat down for a coffee when he overheard people talking about Christmas and he couldn't help but think of Granger and what on Earth he could possibly get her.

He wasn't even sure he was going to give her anything, when an idea popped into his mind. After a few minutes of research, he found himself standing out front a small, brick house, staring at the door, looking a complete idiot. "Oh to hell with it," he groaned as he knocked on the wooden door. He briefly wondered maybe they weren't home but suddenly found his heart racing when the door opened to reveal a tall man with mousy brown hair and glasses.

"Hello?" the man frowned, confusion setting into his face as he tried to remember if he knew this man or not.

Draco smiled as polite as he could and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm a friend of your daughter," he grimaced as the man's hand reached out to shake his, but quickly dropped at the mention of Hermione. He looked up at the man who was now nervously looking up and down the street before pulling Draco inside.

"Come in, come in," he stuttered as he led Draco into a small sitting room. Draco couldn't help but wonder why this man was speaking in such a low voice but he took a seat across from the man and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Look, I'm just here to-"

"How is she," the strange muggle interrupted as he fixed his glasses.

"Hermione? She's great, you would know that if-" Draco scowled as he found himself being cut off once again.

"Good, good, I hope she knows that we do love her it's just we can't fully approve of her lifestyle and until-"

Draco had heard enough and got to his feet. It was no wonder Hermione didn't want to be a part of this family, he could barely stand two minutes there. "Her lifestyle? Do you honestly think this is a choice she has?" he growled. "Look, I understand that what has happened to you might be frightening, but she's your daughter. She fought a bloody war to keep the peace between the magical and muggle worlds. She fought because she believed that all people were equal, no matter what walks of life they came from. I was one of those people she once fought against. I was raised to believe that pure-blooded witches and wizards were far superior to any other being on Earth, but because of her, I've come to realize that I was wrong. It's because of her that people are starting to change their opinions of other beings as well, not just muggle-borns. It's because of her you are even alive right now. And yet here you stand, claiming to be superior to her? Claiming what she is doesn't deserve your approval? You disgust me," he spat.

"Wendell, who's this man in our house," a small voice rang from the doorway.

Draco glared at the woman that held her hands on her hips, similar to how Hermione would. He turned his attention back to the man and shook his head in disappointment. "It's almost Christmas, and if either of you doesn't smarten up and at the very least send her a card, I will come here again, and I won't be so forgiving. I've done things far worse than your daughter ever has to you, and if you hurt her, if you break her heart again, I won't hesitate to make you wish it was Hermione pointing her wand at you, not me."

Draco turned to leave when a small photograph on the mantel made him freeze. There was a picture of a small girl in a pink dress smiling as she held up a toy wand with a star on the end. He couldn't help but smile at the big curls that surrounded her face. "I'll be taking this with me until you've earned it back," he growled as he tucked the picture into his pocket and threw open the door. He wrapped his coat tightly around him as he marched back into the cold air, slamming the door behind him. If anyone saw him just then he imagined they would be frightened out of their wits, but he just couldn't keep his anger from bubbling up to the surface. It was one thing to be afraid, but another thing entirely to let that fear essentially destroy your own child's soul for not conforming to the family ideals. It reminded him too much of his own situation.

When he arrived back at his flat he completely ignored the two girls sitting on his couch and marched his way straight up to his room, his door slamming behind him. He threw his coat on the floor and dropped to his bed, his feet still touching the floor. The day had gone far worse than planned, all because he was trying to do something nice. He wasn't exactly sure what he had hoped to gain from his conversation with the Grangers, but it certainly wasn't that.

With the flick of his wand he summoned the frame from his jacket pocket and caught it with both hands. He let his fingers trace the outline of the small wings attached to the little girl's dress as he remembered their conversation at Halloween. His smile faded as he recalled finding her stiff body on the floor, blood seeping out of her mouth and he instantly shut his eyes in an attempt to will away the memories.

"What am I doing?" he sighed as he sat up. He looked at the picture one more time before placing it on the table beside his pillow, hoping she wouldn't come into his room and find it. "Yeah, like she'd ever come into my room," he sighed again. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he couldn't pull himself away from her. Every time he tried, he only seemed to get dragged deeper and deeper, if he didn't do something soon, he'd run out of air.

As he lay back down on his bed he thought of the other day. He remembered being so close to kissing her when the stove caught fire. He remembered hearing her heart beat faster and faster as he leaned forward. He also remembered clear as day that the stove was in fact turned off; there was no question in that. A light flickered in his mind as an idea struck him. Hermione had mentioned something about having the ability to control the elements if she ever managed to unlock it. He thought back to the fire and how her heart seemed to be racing just as the flames lit up. He tried to think of any other freak incidents in the past that may have a connection to her. Then he remembered that strange rainstorm that hit many months ago and how shortly after Hermione was at his doorstep, a drunk, emotional wreck from being dumped by her so called family.

It wasn't much to go on, so he decided to test his little theory out. Obviously strange things seemed to happen when her emotions were stirred, and he had a feeling her emotions in regards to him were constantly being stirred. A small smirk formed on his lips as a plan started to play itself out in his mind. One way or another he was going to get his answers, and if it all worked out, maybe he'd get the girl too.

* * *

><p><strong>Ginny's POV<strong>

"What's his problem?" Ginny laughed as they watched Draco Malfoy stomp his way up the staircase. She turned to her friend and gave her a nudge as Hermione just stared up the stairs with a frown of her face. "Hey, Earth to Hermione," she called.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm not sure," Hermione shrugged as she turned back to Ginny.

"You seem distracted today," Ginny asked. She couldn't help but wonder if anything was going on between the two after seeing Hermione's reaction to Draco's anger, but she knew if there were any issues Hermione obviously would have brought it up. "Is everything okay between you two?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine, better than fine actually," she watched Hermione smile. Her answer seemed genuine enough but something in her eyes caught Ginny's attention and she soon found herself grinning.

"Did you two kiss again?"

"What? No! I mean, well, a long time ago, and almost again the other day but not since that night in your living room," she laughed.

"Our living room?" Ginny gasped, her eyes bulging out of her head. "You never told me you- okay we need to have a serious conversation, like now," she huffed as she readjusted herself on the sofa. While she was a little offended that Hermione hadn't come to her to tell her what had happened, she also knew that Hermione wasn't really the type to kiss and tell anyway. But tonight Ginny was determined to get to the bottom of this once and for all. "So do you like him?" Ginny bluntly asked.

"Well of course I like him, he's been nothing but helpful and he's actually been a pretty good friend lately," Hermione stuttered.

Ginny raised a questioning eyebrow. "That's not what I meant," she rolled her eyes.

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "What do you want me to say Ginny?" her friend asked, she seemed tired.

"Okay, how about you explain the whole kissing thing to me then," Ginny compromised, feeling that at least some explanation was in order after all. She tapped her toes while she waited; trying to show that she wasn't going to let this go until she got some answers.

With a resigned sigh Hermione smiled at her friend and gave a small smile. Ginny listened as she was told for the second time of their first kiss, laughing at the image of Draco trying to recover from her slap. She couldn't help but get chills as Hermione explained the second, and the meaning behind saying "thank you", and the third kiss, Ginny was shocked that it was Hermione that initiated it, especially after such a rough night. As Hermione explained their almost-kiss, Ginny suddenly had a feeling that her friend might actually be falling for Draco, it certainly sounded like he already had. She shook her head in disbelief at the absurdity of it all, never in a million years did she think Hermione Granger would even be friends with a man like Draco Malfoy, but now that she thought about it more, it certainly made a lot of sense. Both were clever, driven, and no doubt talented. She also thought Draco brought back that spark in Hermione any time he was around, and from the sounds of it they were able to hold interesting conversations without killing each other. Maybe they're just trying to get a long for the sake of finishing this war before it starts, but Ginny had a feeling it was slightly more than that. Not that she would ever say those thoughts aloud, not if she ever wanted to make it home without her hair being singed off.

"But honestly, I don't think it's going to happen again, I mean it can't really, the idea of us kissing? It's preposterous!" Hermione tried to reason.

_Oh she's got it bad_, Ginny thought with a smirk. "Well, if it does, you let me know, but I really should get home, Harry should be back within the hour and my and the baby got a date with pickles and pineapples!" she laughed as she slowly got to her feet, one hand on her belly, the other on the armrest for support. "My god, either he's one big baby, or I'm just eating way too much," she groaned as she hobbled to the fireplace.

Ginny smiled as Hermione's laugh rang through the room. She felt her friend offer some support as she made her way across the room and gave Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek goodbye before making her way home.


	24. Wake Me Up

**A/N:** Heeeeey I'm back! Sorry, had to help my mum out with a few things. But now I'm back to this wonderful story and you beautiful readers! :) Hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions/concerns/comments/whatever, don't hesitate! I'm more than happy to respond! This is a very Dramione centric chapter... but also uncovers a few things...!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or locations or names or whatever! It's all J.K's

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Twenty-Three:<strong> _**Wake Me Up**_

The morning light trickled through the large floor to ceiling window next to Hermione's bed and her nose twitched as she stretched her toes, a faint smell tickling her nostrils. Her eyes blinked open as she yawned and watched the sun slowly rise over the treetops. Checking the time, she knew she really should get up and do some work, but the light dusting of snow on the ground below had her tugging the covers higher over her head as she snuggled back into her pillow. There was a knock on her door and she groaned at the thought of what Draco could possibly want from her. She waited a few seconds to see if he would go away, but at the second knock she let out a soft breath.

"Come in," she called. Hermione watched as the door to her room slowly opened and a patch of blonde hair poked its way from behind it.

"Hey," Draco smiled sheepishly as he stepped into the room. Hermione frowned as he moved closer to the bed, a tray in his arms. "Thought you might like breakfast in bed today, seeing as you don't seem too keen on actually leaving this room," he teased lightly. Hermione tried to glare at him, she really did, but the smell of the food on the tray he placed on her lap filled her lungs and she couldn't help but give a small satisfied smile.

"This looks amazing, Tha- er- yeah," she laughed. Draco had obviously put a lot of work into her meal, she thought, because while it had rather simple ingredients – rashers, eggs, fruit, and pancakes – it was the small details in which he made them that floored her. The eggs were cooked perfectly with spices delicately sprinkled on top of the yolk, the pancakes were fluffy and seemed to have either chocolate or blueberries inside, and the fruit, the fruit was intricately carved to look like different flowers decorating the plate. She took a bite of the sausage and closed her eyes as she savoured the smoky meat. "Is that maple?" she asked, taking another bite of the sausage to be sure.

"Yep! Each link is infused with a hint of maple," Draco said rather proudly.

"Mmm," Hermione sighed as she took another bite from her meal, this time trying the eggs. "Are you going to join me?" she asked, suddenly realizing that he was still standing there, just watching her eat.

"Well I would, but I have a few errands to do today, but I took the liberty of bringing anything you might need to work on up to your room," he smiled, gesturing to the books he had placed at the foot of her bed.

_When had he done that?_ She thought, trying to recall if he had somehow carried them up with the tray, or levitated them, she wasn't sure. All she was sure about was that this might just be the best breakfast she's ever had. "Where are you going?" she asked quickly, suddenly not liking the idea of spending time alone, not that she hadn't before, but this morning felt, different, and she wasn't sure why.

Draco flourished his hand and gave a small shrug before answering her. "Oh just here and there, but I'll be back in time for lunch," he offered a reassuring smile. She froze as he leaned over her and her heart started to race, wondering what he was intending to do. However she was surprised to find herself disappointed when all he did was pick up a fresh strawberry carved like a tulip and pop it into his mouth, her eyes drawing instantly to his lips.

As he backed away and left the room, she felt suddenly rather cold, but shook it off so she could finish enjoying the rest of her meal. It was strange how close they had gotten lately, in fact she was almost certain that he was trying to move closer, but since the evening he had come home rather angry, he hadn't tried to advance on her once. At first, it was a relief to her, but now it was driving her mad. Why couldn't she understand him? What was going on his head? Why did he make her this glorious breakfast?

Shoving the questions to the back of her mind, and the empty tray to the floor, she carefully picked up a stack of parchment she had been working on that held files of House Elves that may have an interest in moving in to her centre once it had been opened. She was trying to find a way to contact them without causing a disturbance to the families that essentially owned them, knowing that it could potentially make things worse for the poor creatures if they were found out.

"Muffy, House Elf to the Cornett family, once had to be taken to the hospital to treat burn marks on her face and back she claims is from clumsiness, and has a scar running down her left leg from when the baby was crying and woke up Lord Cornett in the middle of the night." Hermione nearly had tears to her eyes as she saw the picture of the poor Elf. She really could not understand how people could treat another living thing in such a manner! But then again, she had to remind herself that she too was once treated the same, and that sometimes there are no limits to what a person will do. The thought still saddened her all the same anyway.

She worked away, file after file, placing each elf into one of four columns: urgent, observe, leave and refused. Those that were in a position that could cause a danger to their life and health would need to be spoken to immediately, and attempted to be moved to a safer location. Those in the observe column do not necessarily have a life or death situation, however it could lead to a more dangerous one and would need to be supervised. Once there becomes a major issue, they would be moved to the Urgent column. House Elves under the Leave heading are generally happy with their household, and do not seem to have any signs of abuse or mistreatment so could be left alone where they are. Finally, any elf under the refused column is those that refused to seek help, no matter how horrible their treatment has become.

This was the column that Hermione worried most about, because there are so few cases of house elves actively seeking to leave their families, even if their lives were in danger, and it was also the tallest pile of case files. However, those files were constantly being rearranged. Sometimes one in the refused pile may have a change of heart, or an elf that was in a safe environment soon finds they are no longer safe and need to be removed, or even in rare cases, which have yet to happen, an elf's family that was in the urgent column sees the errors in their ways and improves their lifestyle for the betterment of their faithful house-elf.

It was all a rather taxing and complicated process which is why Hermione wasn't too surprised when her stomach let out a low growl, signifying it was near lunch. She looked at the time and noticed it was already one in the afternoon. She briefly wondered where Draco was until her question was answered by grey eyes slipping through her doorway again.

"Still in bed?" he snorted.

Hermione rolled her eyes and leaped out of the bed but suddenly felt rather self-conscious as a pair of eyes roved over her body. She looked down and groaned as she forgot she had worn her embarrassingly childish pajama pants to bed the night before. They were turquoise blue and had white fluffy sheep printed all over them.

"Cute Granger," the blonde man eyed with a smirk. She glared at him as he leaned in the doorway, his eyes still glancing over her appearance. "You should really do something with that hair, it looks like a hurricane," he laughed, only causing Hermione to frown.

"You're a jerk," she glowered.

"And you're still a bloody tight arse," he snarled.

It almost hurt to hear the genuine taunt in his voice, especially when he had been so sweet that morning. His mood swings were really starting to hurt her head which she promptly shook before stomping over to him and shoving him out the door.

"What's got your nickers in a twist love?" Draco grinned down at the petite witch who was adorably trying to push him, only having no such luck, not even a budge.

"Oh I don't know Malfoy, maybe because I thought we were starting to become close, especially after such a wonderful morning and yet here we are. You proving me wrong, once again," she said, her voice rising with each word in annoyance. She was so busy rattling off her frustrations at Malfoy that she didn't notice his gaze was turned elsewhere, and she certainly didn't notice the way the tree branches were bending in the sudden gusts of wind that appeared with each huff.

"I'm sorry," Draco blinked down at her with an honest smile.

"And another thing, I don't know what gives you the id- wait, you're sorry?" she frowned, finally looking up at the annoying git only to see nothing but sincerity behind his smile. "Well, good then," she huffed, unsure what to say next.

"I'll let you get changed, then maybe some lunch?" she heard him ask and all she could do was nod in response as she tried to think what on earth was going on that day. As the door clicked shut she let out a low groan and sunk to the floor. "What is wrong with you, it's just Malfoy anyway, who cares?" she muttered to herself. "Oh right, you do," she replied to her own question with an eye roll.

After a few seconds of speaking to herself she got to her feet and changed for the day, opting for the ever comfortable jeans and t-shirt combo she was getting used to. She quickly stepped into the bathroom to freshen up then made her way downstairs to the kitchen where Draco was already making sandwiches for the two of them.

"Grilled cheese, just the way you like it," he said with a wink.

Hermione felt herself frowning for the, well she lost count by now, but she frowned yet again because of Draco Malfoy's mind boggling mood swings. She was lost in her own thoughts so she didn't notice the hands on her shoulders until she suddenly felt a rather pleasing pressure between her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as the hands worked away whatever stresses she apparently hadn't noticed until then. "Mmm," she sighed in approval with a small grin lighting up her cheeks as Draco worked away at her tense shoulders.

While Hermione's attention was focused on the wonderful massage, Draco's was elsewhere. He was staring intently at the flames on the stove but frowned as they didn't seem to change. He thought for sure, much like the other day; she'd have a similar reaction. His mind drifted to the thought of her heartbeat, and another idea struck him so he leaned forward with a sly little smirk and whispered in her ear.

"Do you like that?" he cooed into her ear.

Hermione let out a soft "mhmm" as he worked on her shoulders, a slight tickle shooting down her spine at the closeness of his breath in her ear.

"I can think of some other places you might like my hands, Hermione," he said in a rather husky tone, causing Hermione's heart to skip a beat.

She wanted to scold him for being so crass, but his hands really were quite magic and she couldn't help but wonder what else they could do. At that thought, she felt warmth invade her cheeks and her heart started to flutter. It wasn't until she felt something warm slide along her earlobe and a slight pinch as Draco nibbled on her ear did she finally open her eyes in shock at what was actually happening.

Draco could only laugh as Hermione's once relaxed posture suddenly became stiff after his blatant attempts of seduction clearly caused a reaction she had not anticipated. But he was satisfied with the results when the minute he caught her blushing at his words did the flames start to grow and dance, disappearing when she finally opened her eyes. He didn't however anticipate his own reaction and knew he would need to do something fast to quickly change the topic.

"Lunch is ready," he announced rather suddenly, and Hermione was thoroughly confused as to what was actually happening but her thoughts drifted as her favourite kind of sandwich was presented to her.

Her eyes lit up as she detected two different cheeses and peppered salami sandwiched between fresh bread. "Dis is so good," she muffled between bites, not usually one to speak with her mouthful, but unable to go long enough without taking a bite to utter her compliments to the chef.

"Of course it is," Draco drawled as he took his seat and chewed on his own sandwich. "I did make it after all."

Hermione snorted and gave him a playful kick under the table as she took another bite, a pleasant moan falling out of her lips at the taste.

"So how were your errands?" she finally said, pausing long enough before she continued to eat.

Draco shrugged, finally answering after he swallowed his own bite. "Alright, how was your work?"

"Alright, but I'm tired of working for now, let's play a game," Hermione smiled. While it wasn't a total lie that she was tired of working, she certainly was growing a headache from it all, but she was more interested in finding out just what Draco was playing at lately. If this were Harry or Ron, she would just blatantly ask them, but no, this was Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince, she was dealing with. So to beat him, she had to think like him.

"I'm sure I'll win no doubt, but I'll humor you Granger," he smirked.

"Have you ever played 20 questions?" she asked. When he shook his head she smiled. _Perfect,_ she thought. "Basically you each get 20 questions to ask the other person, only you take turns asking each question and you _have_ to answer the question first before you ask a question in return. The questions can be about anything and the other person has to answer. Sound easy enough?" A small part of her was impressed at how sneaky she was being, using a seemingly harmless muggle game to get her answers, but she was also nervous, knowing Draco was certainly going to get some answers out of her as well. Certain sacrifices were reasonable she figured; besides she knew a few tricks to get out of answering questions she really didn't want to answer anyway.

"Sounds… intriguing," Draco smirked, "alright, who goes first?"

"Well, since you did make a wonderful lunch and breakfast, I suppose it's fair that you start first. Typically you would start with easy, trivial questions, what's your favourite colour, animal, etc. But like I said, it can be anything," she smiled.

"And you have to answer?"

"Yep," she smiled innocently, though knowing she had ways of getting around that little rule.

"Okay, um, what's your favourite colour then?" Draco asked, nearly causing her to snort.

"Real original," she scoffed.

"You said it could be anything, and I'm curious," he laughed.

"Okay, it's red," she answered with a shrug and leaned back in her seat.

It was Draco's turn to scoff as he shook his head. "Real original," he mocked her.

"Oh like we all don't know your favourite colour is green," she reprimanded as she crossed her arms.

"It might be, but it might not be," he chuckled, "you'll never know."

"Fine. What's your favourite colour?" Hermione spat with the full intention of smacking him he dared to say green.

"Green," Draco grinned, proud that he had made her waste her first question on such an obvious question. "I'm ashamed Granger, it's like you don't know me at all," he teased, dodging her hand that came to smack the side of his head.

"You're incorrigible," she huffed.

"Okay, okay, I believe it's my turn now. Hmm," he brought his hand up to his chin and tapped his finger on his lip as he lingered for a painstakingly long time to think of his question. He smiled as Hermione's impatience was obviously growing and he considered keeping her waiting a minute longer when he noticed she seemed to have her knuckles clenched tightly. Not wanting a repeat of third year he dropped his hands and finally asked his question, one he thought was a very important one. "Can we go to the couches where it's more comfortable?" he asked.

Hermione frowned. "Really? You're wasting your question to ask me that?"

"Ah, you can't ask a question until you answer!" he smiled, pointing in her direction.

"Oh shove off," she laughed as she hit his finger away. "Yes, let's go to the other room." Following Draco to the other room she was grateful for the contrast the plush cushions gave rather than the stiff, wooden chairs they were in prior. "Okay, um, let's see. I'll give you another easy one since it is your first time playing after all. What's your favourite animal?" she asked with genuine curiosity. She knew he didn't like cats, as he always seemed to scold Crookshanks for some reason or another, and he didn't exactly strike her as a snake kind of person either, despite his old house emblem.

"Aw, don't go easy on me Granger, that's no fun!" he pretended to pout, only earning another playful smack to his arm. "Well, I quite like dogs, we used to have some, but my favourite would actually have to be the fox, more specifically the Arctic Fox," he considered for a moment before nodding at his choice.

She had to admit it certainly was not an answer she was expecting, it wasn't overly a shock like a butterfly or something, but she had been expecting something a little less, well, cute. "Hmm," she pondered, filing that information away for whatever use it may come in handy for later.

"I already know your favourite animal is a cat," Draco frowned with distaste at the orange ball of fur currently sleeping on the arm chair across from them. "When's your birthday?" he curiously said.

"September 19th," she shrugged, not sure why that would be of any interest. But Draco's gasp said otherwise.

"Why didn't you say anything months ago?" he scolded, shaking his head. "Now I've got to find you a present and didn't your friends do anything for it? What's wrong with you woman?"

"Slow down, that's a lot of questions there," she teased. "But fine, I'll answer them just this once. I didn't say anything because birthdays don't really mean that much to me. You don't need to get me a present because I didn't get you one, Harry, Ron, Ginny and I had a quiet celebration at my flat, nothing special, and nothing is wrong with me, I just don't care for birthdays," she said plainly.

Draco could only shake his head in disbelief. "Who doesn't like birthdays? You're mad woman," he laughed. "I'm getting you a present by the way, but your turn," he grinned.

Hermione ignored his comment about the present and immediately asked her question. "What's your favourite holiday?"

"My birthday," he smiled cheekily.

"That's not a holiday," Hermione reminded him.

"It should be," he huffed before giving a real answer. "I'd have to say Christmas… Are you a virgin?" he asked bluntly, keeping a calm face as Hermione seemed to choke back air.

"Um," she replied nervously, caught off guard by the sudden question. "No," she shook her head, hoping her face wasn't as red as it felt. She quickly asked her next question as she avoided the pointed stares he was giving her. "Wh-could we maybe have something to drink?" she asked, knowing it was a wasted question but wanted to steer the conversation away from her so they could get back to finding more information on him.

"I think that's an excellent idea," Draco grinned and he quickly summoned two glasses and a bottle of wine.

Hermione quickly shook her head before he could begin pouring the red liquid however and quietly requested something a little stronger. She was going to need all the help she could get if she was going to make it through these questions, and wine just wasn't going to cut it. Shortly after he sent the wine back, a bottle of Old Ogden's took its place.

The two asked a variety of personal to not-so-personal questions ranging from favourite subject in school, Transfiguration and Potions, respectively, to the first time they ever cried. Hermione was finding it easier to ask more personal question the more she drank, so it was when she was on her fourth glass that she asked a question that had been burning her mind for years. "So, wh-what really happened to your mother?" she asked with a sad smile.

Draco's body tensed as she asked the one question he wasn't sure he could answer, so he gave the best answer he could think of. "You saw the paper," he scowled as he knocked back the rest of his drink.

Hermione let out a soft sigh and placed a hand on his knee, which was now only an inch away from hers as they somehow moved closer together during their talks. "Draco, I may not have known you or your family well at the time, but from what I saw, she would never give up on her family, she would never give up on you," she spoke honestly, searching for his eyes and begging he look up to see she that he could trust her. So when he finally did, she gave him an encouraging squeeze and nodded, letting him know it was okay.

"Lucius tried to kill me, and she… got in the way," he said, his jaw rigid to prevent the lump in his throat rising into a sob. He felt a gentle squeeze to his hand and looked down to see her small fingers had left his knee to find his hand and suddenly felt a wave of calm wash over him.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both wanting to say something, but both knew it was probably best not to. Draco finally broke the silence with a sigh before changing the subject to something a little more light hearted. "Do you want me to give you another massage sometime?" he asked as playful as he could, but Hermione noticed there was still sadness in his voice that tugged at her heart strings.

"I'd like that," she smiled with a nod. Hermione couldn't help but feel her heart flutter as Draco smiled, seeming genuinely happy that she agreed to another massage she almost forgot to ask her own question. "What was that about anyway? What was all of today about Draco?" she asked.

Draco raised an eyebrow and wagged his finger in front of her face. "That was two questions Miss. Granger so I'll answer only your first one," he smirked. "You seemed tense, so I thought you could use a massage," he shrugged as he poured himself another drink. "My turn. Why won't you thank me and let me kiss you again?" he asked, sipping coolly on his drink.

Hermione froze, unsure how to answer that question as she wasn't entirely sure either. Stubbornness was one factor, of course, and the fact that he was Draco Malfoy, only the most foul, evil – well okay that second part wasn't exactly true she figured – but she still hated him. Or she thought. "I-" she shook her head, unwilling to answer his question.

"Ah, ah, ah, that's not an answer Granger," he teased, moving himself a little closer.

"Well, ask another question. There's a rule where if the person absolutely cannot answer the question then another question may be asked, and then they have to choose between the two questions which to answer before moving on," she sputtered out her failsafe nervously.

"Since when?" he frowned.

"Since always, please Draco," she begged.

"Fine," he smiled innocently. A little too innocently, she thought. "Would you like to kiss me again?" he asked with a wicked grin.

_Shit._ She cursed herself for even getting stuck in this mess as it was her stupid idea and she still hadn't even gotten the answers she wanted. It was her own game and here he was, beating her at it. "Fine," she said with a groan, knowing she was certainly not going to get away with another lame excuse this time. "I'll answer the second one… maybe someday I will," she shrugged, knowing it was a coward's answer.

"It's a yes or no question Granger," he provoked.

She threw her hands up in exasperation and let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, the first one then! I don't let you kiss me because I don't want you to, okay?" she groaned. _Liar_, a small voice in her head scolded her.

"Liar," Draco smirked, and Hermione panicked for a moment that he could read her mind but then realized that idea was insane so instead she gave a sigh and lowered her head.

"I'm afraid," she admitted, surprised at how true it was. She was afraid, not of him, but of falling for him, for anyone really. Every experience she had with any sort of love ended badly. She and Ron didn't work out, which ended up being for the better of course, but it still hurt her immensely, her parents were essentially disowning her because of her magic, and while she loved her friends, she couldn't help but feel they were all moving forward without her, even Ron seemed to have a better handle on things than she did.

"Hermione," his voice shook her from her thoughts and she couldn't help but notice a look of regret on Draco's face. "You know I'd never…" he started but Hermione cut him off with a smile.

"I'm not afraid of you Draco, well I am, but not that you'd actually do anything I'm just… afraid in general. It's complicated, don't worry yourself over it. I believe it's my turn now. Why have you had such strange mood swings with me lately, especially today?" she asked, glad she was finally able to get the question out. She watched as Draco blinked, clearly not sure how he was going to answer her question.

"Can I have another question?" he asked blankly. While he knew his 'mood swings' as she called them weren't actually meant with malice, he also knew that if she knew what he was really doing, he'd surely be hexed for it so he hoped her other question would be slightly easier to answer. The hands that fell to her plump hips told him he was mistaken to hope so.

"Fine," she said with a proper 'hmph'. "Do you love me?" she asked firmly. Knowing he would never answer the second question, whether he did or not, she thought she finally won, and the fear in his face confirmed it too.

Draco's eyes narrowed and a slow smirk formed on his lips. "You sly little minx," he chuckled as he came to realize that she was probably waiting all game to trap him in this corner. He wouldn't be surprised if she organized the entire thing just to ask him why he was acting so strangely. "Are you sure you weren't supposed to be in Slytherin?"

Hermione beamed with pride at his question, which normally she would have seen as an insult, but this time she gladly accepted the compliment. She waved a finger in his face in a similar manner he had earlier and spoke in a sickly sweet voice. "Ah, ah, ah, you never answered the question," she smiled innocently.

Draco laughed heartily, unable to believe that she had actually managed to beat him and leaned back in defeat. "You're going to hate me when I tell you," he answered, his eyebrows high on his forehead. He hoped she would tell him that he wouldn't have to answer then, but the look of resolve on her face was enough to tell him she wasn't going to budge. "Okay, well… I may have been conducting a small experiment," he winced as he waited for her to scold him, but when no scolding came, he continued. "After the little fire incident with my stove the other day, I couldn't help but notice other connections with certain elements being tied to your emotions. Especially with what you told me about certain people with rare powers," he paused, but again, no reaction. Relaxing slightly at the knowledge that she would at least wait until he was finished explaining to punch him, he again, continued. "Well, I've noticed that when you're sad, it rains, like that day you showed up here drunk after fighting with your dad, and when you're excited or nervous, I'm not sure which, you seem to control fire, for example today when I gave you that massage, the flames seemed to dance as I whispered in your ear. As for my earlier outburst before lunch, I really am sorry for that, I didn't mean a word of it, but as you were yelling at me the wind seemed to pick up outside. I haven't made any formal conclusions yet, but it would seem your emotions are tied to the elements, though it doesn't seem too strong just now," he shrugged. He waited for a few minutes before he realized that maybe she wasn't going to hex him after all.

"That actually makes sense," Hermione commented, her lips twisting as she thought. "That day I showed up crying over my family, I noticed something odd at the pond at the shelter. Waves seemed to form in the water when my feet were dipped in, though I wasn't sad then," she frowned. "I was actually thinking of – oh never mind," she said with a blush as it occurred to her that she was actually thinking of him.

"You're taking this very well," he mentioned cautiously.

Hermione nodded and smiled at him. "It's actually quite a clever thing to do really, thought I do wish you'd have told me"

"Would you have believed me?"

"Touché," she laughed. "I am a bit doubtful about the wind though to be honest, that could be just regular wind how do you know it was from me?" she asked.

"Because the curtains were moving too and those windows don't open," he smirked as he sat forward to lean a little closer again. "So are we done the game then?"

Hermione nodded and rest her head on the back of the couch. She really had only intended the game to last until she got her answers, and now that she had, she was certainly satisfied, but also more confused than ever. While it seemed like certain emotions triggered certain elements, why did she have such a different reaction at the pond? And why did most of it seem related to Draco? It felt like there was something obvious missing and it was eating away at her that she couldn't see it. It didn't help that his fingers kept tracing soothing lines on her knee which only clouded her mind more. _Wait, what?_ She thought as she suddenly realized what he was doing. She let out a small cough and shifted to stand from the sofa, pretending she needed to stretch her legs.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Draco seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as well as he stared at the spot his frizzy haired witch had disappeared from. "Oh, it's half seven," he replied.

"Oh shit," she cursed as she tripped over her own feet, catching herself on the coffee table. It seemed the effects of the alcohol were finally hitting her so she promptly sat back down and steadied herself in the dizzy room. "We need food Malfoy," she groaned at her now empty stomach, not entirely believing they had actually just spent the entire afternoon talking.

"I'll cook," he offered and swiftly left the room to make dinner.

Hermione tapped her knees, wondering what to do while she waited, when she felt something rub against her ankles. "Oh, I'm sorry Crooks! I have hardly paid any attention to you at all today," she cooed as she scooped the cat into her arms. She lay down on the sofa; Crookshanks tucked into her arms and closed her eyes as she slowly stroked her cat's soft fur, smiling as he purred in response. It didn't take long for both of them to drift off to a pleasant sleep.

Draco returned shortly after, a small towel over his shoulder, and was about to ask her if she wanted salad with their meal when he saw Hermione fast asleep with her feline friend curled beside her and a light snore on her lips. He draped a soft blanket that was on the back of the sofa over her shoulders and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before turning back to the kitchen to clean up the half-cooked meal. He figured they could maybe finish it tomorrow, or not, he didn't really care, all he cared about at that moment was her and that stupid cat.

When Hermione woke up the next morning, she noticed she wasn't in her bed. She rubbed at her eyes as she propped herself up, smiling down at her furry friend, still fast asleep in beside her. There was no hangover to greet her that morning, but there was an unusual package placed on the coffee table. She picked up the parcel and stared at the loopy handwriting that read '_Happy Birthday Hermione'_. Curious to see what was inside, she gasped as a stack of handwritten letters appeared on her lap. He had spent thousands of Galleons on Kafka's letters, which to him would be essentially worthless, but to her, they were priceless. Tears welled in her eyes as she traced along the twine that bound the letters together. Well now she was screwed, she knew she would definitely have to make this up to him somehow, and Christmas was only a week away.


	25. Supposed To Be

**A/N:** Okay, so this chapter might be a little short because I have big plans for the next TWO and wanted to end this one on a sweet note. Also, I'm thinking of writing another story, I have an idea in mind and will post the first chapter. I'd really, really, appreciate any reviews on it to see if it's worth exploring! It's called Someone New. Please, please, please let me know what you think if I should continue or not.

I do not own anything that is mentioned in the HP Universe!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Twenty-Four<span>: **_**Supposed to Be**_

**Draco's POV**

Draco woke up in the middle of night to hear a loud clatter from downstairs and immediately flew from his covers and stormed down the stairs, his wand stretched out in front of him, prepared for any attacks thrown his way. However his wand slowly lowered and his head tilted to the side as he watched a bushy haired witch hop up and down holding her right foot in both her hands.

"Shit, dammit, ooh," she hissed as she rubbed at her foot. She picked at something lodged into the balls of her feet and immediately swore as blood began to profusely squirt from the cut. "Shit!" she hollered as she tried to stop the bleeding on her sleeve. "No, no, no, not the carpet," she squealed as she attempted to raise her foot higher so she could stop the blood from dripping to the floor below.

"Need a hand Granger?" he chuckled as he made his way across the room. It was then that he noticed the broken glass on the floor and the rather large tree sitting in the corner of his room. He smirked as he saw a sparkly silver garland snake through the branches and colourful ornaments adorned the bristles. He caught the falling witch in his hands and guided to her to the sofa, promptly propping up her foot so he could take a look at the damage. He clicked his teeth and shook his head teasingly. "I don't know Granger, we might need to chop it," he smirked.

He ducked the pillow that flew towards his head and was about to turn and give her a mocking grin but was greeted by a second cushion that smacked into his nose. As he shoved the cushion away he dropped her foot and laughed as she howled in pain. "Well it looks like you don't want my help so," he drawled as he scrunched his nose, pretending the hit had hurt more than it had.

"No," she beckoned, calling him back to his seat before he could even move to leave it. "Just fix it please," she rolled her eyes.

With the wave of his wand, Draco watched as the skin stitched itself back up and the blood was washed away. He gently placed it on his knee and turned his attention to the now significantly less angry witch on the other end of the sofa. "You do have a wand you know," he drawled.

"Yes well, I didn't have it on me and I wasn't exactly in the best position to hop on over to the other side of the room to get it now was I?" she growled, pulling her foot away to inspect it. "Besides, you did a good enough job," she shrugged, placing her foot back on his knee.

"So what's this all about anyway?" he gestured to the half decorated tree.

"Well, Christmas Eve is tomorrow and I thought we should have a tree!" she explained plainly.

"We? What's this _we_ business now?" he grinned mischievously.

Hermione blushed and began to stutter to cover her tracks. "Well, you know what I mean, but you're right, I should have asked. But you would've said no, and I wanted a Christmas tree so I got one," she ended up finishing rather defensively. After all, she was Hermione Granger, she didn't need to explain herself to anyone.

"Well, thanks," he shrugged.

"You're welcome," she smiled. "Do you want to help decorate?"

"It's one in the morning!" he groaned.

"So?" she reasoned.

Draco thought for a moment, he wasn't really tired anymore. It had never really occurred to him over the last few years to buy a tree since moving out of the Manor, in fact, not a lot had really occurred to him during that time until he was reacquainted a certain muggle-born witch. He had never decorated a tree before, it was always something that his mother had done, and it always looked immaculate and perfect, but the number one rule was 'do not touch'. Of course there were many years he would sneak into the drawing room and ruffle with the tinsel or tap his nails against one of the baubles, but for the most part, the Christmas tree was off limits. "Why not?" he decided and gave a small smile to Hermione, trying to pretend to be excited. Though if he was perfectly honest, he was pretending to be bored, pretending to be excited. He had mastered masking his emotions years ago, and he knew if she knew just how excited he really was at the prospect of decorating a simple Christmas tree, well that would be the end of him.

Hermione grinned and got to her feet, grabbing his arm along the way and dragging him closer to the tree. "Oops, right, watch out!" she warned as she held him back from taking a step further. He looked down to see the broken glass she had obviously stepped in and watched as a mass of frizzy hair blocked his view while she cleaned up the mess. "There," she said satisfied. There was another clatter and Hermione was instantly by the tree that was now leaning towards her. She had managed to catch it just in time and Draco couldn't help but laugh as she screamed at the blur of orange fuzz that leapt from the tree and bolted from the room. "Crookshanks! That is not okay!" she screamed as she righted the tree back to a standing position.

Draco laughed as Hermione ran through the main floor, chasing the darned cat around his house and he was certainly thankful that her anger wasn't directed at him. He caught sight of the cat dangling from Hermione's grasp as she held him by his cuff and stormed up the stairs to her bedroom where Draco was certain she was going to give the animal a well-deserved scolding. Turning back his attention to the tree, he noticed a box of various ornaments resting on the floor next to hit. He bent down and picked up the first one he saw. As he was about to place it on one of the middle branches something caught his eye and paused to look at the decoration a little closer. It was a green, glass ball, which had a silver snake that slithered all around it, obviously charmed by magic to move. Looking down to the box, he noticed there were several others, as well as some red ones that had a gold figure moving about, no doubt a lion. He wondered where she had gotten them from, but the box didn't hold any kind of name or clue as to the maker. With a shrug he quickly placed the green decoration on the tree, alternating between various decorations.

When he heard footsteps behind him he turned to see Hermione brush her hair back, resting her hand on the top of her head as she let out a sigh. "Bloody cat, he won't be coming out any time soon," she said with a smile. "Oh good, you've started!" she smiled and then turned to a different box that was resting on the coffee table.

"Where'd you get these?" he asked, dangling a red ball from his fingers.

"Oh those?" she said with a blush. "I may have _borrowed_ some from Hogwarts," she said nervously.

Draco raised an eyebrow at the way she said borrowed and folded his arms across his chest to let her know her answer wasn't good enough. "Borrowed?"

"Okay, _stole_," she admitted with a huff and took the decoration from his hand. "But they have thousands of extras in storage that they don't even use; they surely won't miss a handful of them."

Draco just shook his head and laughed as he picked up another ornament and turned back to the tree.

"What?" she asked.

"I think I've had a bad influence on you," he said with a smirk and turned back to face her.

"Oh don't boost your own ego Malfoy," she rolled her eyes. "I stole these years ago, wanted a bit of Hogwarts back at home," she snorted, placing her ornament finally on the tree, opting for a lower branch.

"You stole Slytherin and Gryffindor ornaments?" he asked skeptically.

Hermione snorted again. "Did you even _look_ in the box? There's Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff too, there, underneath," she pointed and sure enough Draco caught a slight shimmer of blue and yellow under the green and red.

"Oh," he frowned, certain he had caught her in a lie. "And here I thought you were Miss. Goody-two shoes. I'm Hermione Granger, I don't break the rules," he teased, raising his voice near the end to mock her.

Hermione gave him a light shove and shook her head. "While rules are rules, sometimes, in rare cases, they can be broken, if for a noble cause," she justified with a nod.

"And stealing decorations is a noble cause?" ah, he caught her, he smiled.

"Yes," she said with a blush, setting her attention to the tree once again.

"Don't worry Granger, I'll keep your little secret," he winked and turned the box that was now open on the table. "What's this?" he said, leaning over to pick up two intricate ornaments. They were silvery and seemed to dance around in his palm.

"Oh," she said with excitement. "That's a spell I helped Harry work on. It's similar to the Patronus charm. He made a small mobile out of little silvery animals like these for their son. It's quite clever really," she admired, watching the two animals dance and play in Draco's hand.

"Mhmm, but what do they do?" he frowned, using his other finger to poke at the tiny fox that crawled up his arm.

"Oh, well in this form they don't exactly do much, they do protect from dementors and harm, but I don't expect they'll do much on a tree, I just think they look nice. I made yours into a fox, since you said it's your favourite animal. Mine's an otter," she smiled and held out her hand for the tiny otter to curl up onto.

"Not a cat?" he smirked, his attention turning to the small creature that was now in her delicate hand.

Hermione shook her head as she watched the tiny silver creature. "Though I do have a fondness for cats, my Patronus is an Otter, and they're just so playful. Sometimes I wish Crookshanks was this playful, god love him but he's just always in a _mood,_" she sighed.

Draco laughed at the way she spoke about her beloved feline and found he couldn't agree more with her accurate description of the mangy beast. He was about to speak his mind when another thought struck him. "You can conjure a Patronus?" he frowned.

"Mhmm, haven't you seen it?" she asked, almost certain he had. But he shook his head and she smiled as she crossed the room to fetch her wand. "Expecto Patronum," she said softly, and Draco had to shield his eyes at first but then became engrossed in the silver figure that floated throughout the room. He watched it leap and spin through the air and laughed as it crawled through his legs. "Impressive," he nodded as the animal slowly disappeared back into her wand.

"We learned that in fifth year," she smiled back. "You could probably do one too!"

"I thought Death Eaters couldn't conjure a Patronus," he frowned, suddenly wishing he could.

"Snape could," she blinked.

Draco's head snapped to attention at the mention of their former Professor, his Godfather. "Snape?" he asked and watched her shrug in affirmation. That was certainly interesting news to him. He heard Snape had been a double agent, no triple agent, or was it quadruple, he couldn't tell, but other than that, he realized he really didn't know as much about his favourite Professor as he thought he did. "Interesting," was all he could say as he stored this new information away.

"Yeah, and I don't think it's a written rule that Death Eaters can't conjure a Patronus, I just think there wasn't enough pure happiness in their lives to think of a happy memory strong enough to perform one, besides, we've already established you're no more a Death Eater then I am," she shrugged as she moved closer to the tree again. Draco watched as she placed the tiny otter on one of the middle branches and smiled as it bounced from branch to branch.

He quickly followed suit and watched as his fox leap to the nearest branch and immediately take off, chasing the tiny otter around the tree. "Someone's on the hunt," he snorted and took a step closer to Hermione.

"Well, Otters can be tricky to catch," she smirked as she flicked her wand, the boxes beginning to pack themselves up. "I think that's enough for now, we can finish tomorrow night but I need to sleep I think," she said with a yawn.

"I think I might stay and finish," Draco offered as he gave her a small smile. "Night Hermione," he nodded.

"Night Draco," she yawned as she shuffled off to her bed.

Draco opened the box of ornaments and found thin strands of tinsel to place on the tips of the branches. He continued to decorate through the night, draping tinsel, or baubles in various places. He took a break and sat on the sofa, but ended up slowly drifting to sleep, a red Gryffindor ball in his hands. If he were awake, he would notice the strange little silver animals in the tree were fast asleep as well, curled up around one another, snoring peacefully as they slept.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry's POV<strong>

Harry smiled as his friend's Patronus disappeared, confirming she'll be over in an hour to do their Christmas exchange. Harry had quickly asked Hermione to bring Draco along, Ginny had requested it, but Harry too thought it was a good idea. He figured even Draco Malfoy needed to be around friends for Christmas. When Hermione confirmed that he would be coming since Blaise was apparently too busy or something he couldn't help but smile. Never in a million years did he think he would actually consider Draco a friend, but after saving Hermione's life, he couldn't help it, despite Draco's attitude towards it. He had to admit that Malfoy was still a prick, but it was starting to grow on him, and his jokes were even quite funny, albeit often inappropriate.

He quickly returned to his bedroom where his sleeping wife lay and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Gin, Happy Christmas," he grinned as she opened her eyes slowly at first then threw her arms around his neck.

"It's Christmas!" she squealed in excitement.

"Er- Gin, can't breathe," he muttered and laughed as she loosened her grip. "Thanks, now let's head downstairs, our guests will be here soon and I've got to get started on breakfast," he winked as he gave her another kiss on the cheek.

Ginny quickly threw her feet over the edge, but then moved much slower as she tried to heave her giant belly off the mattress. "You did this to me," she glowered at Harry as she finally stood with one hand on her belly and the other on Harry's shoulder. "Honestly, I'm _huge_," she laughed.

"Only two more months," Harry sung, happy at the prospect of having a son.

"Two more months," she squealed again, deciding all this lugging around extra weight was well worth it. The pair made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen where they made a fresh pot of coffee. When it was finally brewed she grabbed a mug and placed a kiss on her husband's cheek and quickly left the room, calling out behind her. "Like you said, you're making breakfast," she laughed and Harry just shook his head.

Half an hour later he could hear the fire roar to life and quite a lot of voices coming from the other room, signalling the rest of the Weasley clan had arrived. Not two minutes later he could hear Hermione's voice as well. Deciding breakfast was good enough; he placed everything on a tray and levitated it, along with a tray of coffee, out to the other room. "Happy Christmas!" he cheered at his ever-growing family.

He could hear a whistle and glared at George who was looking him up and down with a bouncing Fred on his lap. "Nice apron," he teased and Harry stuck his tongue out at his brother-in-law.

"For that, you get served last George," he scowled, but his eyes brightened at the small boy on his lap. "He's getting big," he nodded to Fred Jr. and smiled as Angelina scooped him into her arms.

"He'll be a year in two weeks," she cooed, wiggling her finger to her small child.

"We'll have to have a party," Harry laughed, knowing that certainly Mrs. Weasley had already organized one for her grandchild.

"Unca' Harry," a small voice whined and he looked down to see a flash of delicate, wispy, blonde hair. "Teddy keeps making funny faces," she pouted as she pointed at Harry's godchild who now sat with brilliant blue hair and a guilty expression on his face.

"Teddy," he warned with a smile, "what did we agree upon?"

The young toddler rolled his eyes and jumped down from his grandmother's lap, stumbling a bit on the way. "Don't be mean to Vicky," he drawled as if he had said it a hundred times already.

"Victoire," the small girl growled and crossed her arms as she stumbled back to her mother.

Harry could only laugh at the exchange and was glad to see the rest of the room was chuckling too. They all knew that those two were destined to be together one day; they couldn't keep away from each other for more than five minutes. In fact, Victoire was already sitting on the floor next to Teddy, clapping as he changed his hair colour from blue to purple, her current favourite colour of the day.

"Well, breakfast is ready," he shrugged and stumbled back as hordes of red hair surrounded him, each grabbing a warm cinnamon roll from the trays and a cup of coffee. Once the Weasleys were fed, he let the tray hover around the room as the rest of them each took their food. He even smiled as Draco seemed to enjoy the meal.

After their meal, they all exchanged presents. They let the children go first and suddenly there was wrapping paper flying everywhere and loud gasps and squeals as Teddy and Victoire were obviously pleased. Even Fred seemed to giggle at the tiny clapping cats marched towards him. He almost fell backwards as he felt a pair of tiny hands attack him and he looked down to see Teddy grinning back up at him.

"You got me a broom?" the boy shouted and Harry smiled.

"Well, I think you're old enough now," he said, ruffling his Godson's hair. "But you need to be careful. No riding it in the house and you listen to Andromeda. If she says you can't ride it anymore, you need to get off, got it?"

"Got it," Teddy nodded as he ran back to his broom.

Harry watched and notice the three little ones open some small presents that were wrapped in a simple brown paper. Suddenly he saw Draco crouch down next to them to explain. "Hey Teddy, did you know I'm your cousin," he smiled. Teddy's eyes widened at the word cousin and he looked to Andromeda who gave him a small smile and a nod to confirm this new strange word. "Well your mother was my cousin, so we're technically second cousins, but anyway, I thought you might like to know what your mother looked like when she was my age," he smiled, gesturing to the small frame in the tiny boy's hands. Harry was close enough to just make out the picture and was shocked to see, sure enough, a tiny Tonks in a purple dress and bare feet, stomping through the mud with a small blonde child in diapers sitting next to her, his face covered in the dirt and one hand in his mouth. A displeased Andromeda was in the background and he was almost certain it was Draco's mother next to her, laughing at the absurdness of it all. He was certain that Andromeda had been banished from the family, but maybe there was more to the Malfoy's than he realized. It was really was all a bit absurd.

Victoire held a small unicorn figurine that would prance when it was placed on the ground, which she immediately loved, and Fred already had his toy in his mouth, which seemed to be some kind of stuffed dragon. He was impressed really, he wouldn't believe it if he hadn't seen it but Draco Malfoy seemed to be really good with children, just another reason to not hate the bloke.

"Granny, granny! Is that really mummy?" Teddy asked, waving the picture as he ran to his grandmother's arms.

Andromeda scooped up the boy and looked down at the picture, tears forming in her eyes. "It is, but how? Draco, where did you find this?" she asked as she looked to the blonde wizard.

Harry could tell he was starting to get a bit uncomfortable with the attention being turned to him as he shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Found it in mum's things," he explained quickly and Harry noticed Andromeda gave a short, understanding nod as she wiped away her tears.

"Right then, let's let the kids play, so we can open ours," Ron cut in to change the subject, sensing the conversation had grown a bit, well, awkward.

Over the next couple of hours the group laughed and cried and laughed some more as they exchanged their gifts, once in a while screaming as someone opened one of George's gag gifts. Ron's was the best, when he opened the box, a puff of black soot rushed up and covered his face, it took him ages to remove it and even still he had some dusted on his ears and in his hair.

Ginny and Harry had received mostly things for the baby, which was fine by him as it would be one less thing they had to worry about when the time came. Hermione, of course, had gotten them a series of muggle books to read, the many tales by Beatrix Potter. Ron had actually gotten them one of the best gifts, according to Ginny, it was a small onesie that looked like a Quidditch uniform and even had tiny socks to match.

Charlie gave his family a trip to Romania to see the Dragons, and had even mentioned there was room for Hermione to join, and possibly Draco if he was interested. Charlie and Draco seemed to click instantly throughout the day, constantly talking about different Dragons and travel experiences they both have had over the years. It was an interesting combination, especially to see Draco actually impressed by a Weasley.

Ginny had managed to pull some strings with the Harpies and got everyone tickets to their home opener match, against the Cannons, in the spring, which everyone, even Draco was ecstatic for. And in typical Molly fashion, she had knitted everyone a warm jumper with their initials, even managing to make a tiny one with a small J on the front.

It really was a perfect Christmas, everyone was happy, despite their current troubles, they were all together, and there was another child on the way. Harry looked around the room at all the smiling faces and decided nothing could be more perfect than that moment. He looked down at the hand that slid into his and smiled at his wife as she continued her conversation with Bill, only confirming his earlier statement. Everything was as it was supposed to be.


	26. Clocks Go Forward

**A/N:** Okay, a few things:

First: Thank you so much for your support for my other story _Something New_. I plan to keep writing it, but I might only update once a week for that story, which is still fairly frequent, but I want to finish this story first before I dedicate more time to that one. You guys are all too kind! I'll try to post another chapter for that one by next weekend, how does that sound?

Second: I apologize for the gross first portion of this chapter. Not my best writing to be honest, but it's quite fluffy, and I struggled writing it, but it was important to put in before I continued on with the BIG PART of this chapter. Actually one of the biggest moments I was leading up to for the story happens in the second half of this chapter during New Years.

Third: I want to thank you all for your continuing support of this story, and please, I love hearing your opinions and thoughts so don't hesitate to review! :)

Fourth: I do NOT own anything written and created by J.K. Rowling, I just have a wild imagination.

Without further ado…

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Twenty-Five:<strong> _**Clocks Go Forward**_

**Hermione's POV**

As she stepped through the fireplace, back into the familiarity of her temporary home for the last couple months, Hermione was full and hazy from their Christmas with the Potters and Weasleys. She looked to the plush sofa and wanted nothing more than to collapse into the cushions for a happy nap, but there was still one more thing to take care of before they went to bed. "Did you have a good time?" she smiled to the blonde wizard next to her.

"It was alright," he shrugged, but the gentle curve on his lips gave him away, she thought.

"You seemed to get on well with Teddy," she smiled at the memory of how enamored young Teddy was with Draco. She wanted to ask him about the photo Draco gave him, thinking that Narcissa had followed suit with her family and ostracized her older sister, but she knew he wasn't going to be so willing to give an answer.

She could hear a soft chuckle from beside her and looked up to see he seemed to be lost in thought, no doubt recalling the young boy's excitement as well. "He's a bit of handful, certainly a trouble maker," he drawled with a smirk. "Definitely going to be in Slytherin one day," he boasted.

Hermione frowned and shook her head. "He's probably going to be in Gryffindor, or maybe Hufflepuff like his mother, he's a lot like her," she sighed.

"Want to bet on it Granger?"

"That's still several years away," she rolled her eyes.

"Scared you'll lose?" he teased

Hermione crossed her arms and shook her head. "Fine, if he's in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, you have to dye your hair red for an entire week," she smirked.

Draco cringed at the thought of looking like a Weasley for a whole week, and wondered briefly if their little bet was entirely worth it. He would just have to make sure he won. "Okay, and if he's in Slytherin, you have to wear Slytherin colours for a week," he countered.

Hermione snorted. "That's hardly,"

"I'm not finished," he cut in. "You have to wear Slytherin colours for a week and cook me a meal wearing nothing but maids robes," he grinned.

Hermione frowned and slapped him up the side of his head but held out her hand, confident she would win this bet. "Deal," she said firmly and shook his hand with a smile. Her mind wandered then to the task she had gotten rather distracted from. "Oh, right, before I forget, sit down," she panicked as she tried to recall where she had placed his present. _Right,_ she nodded before bolting up the stairs, leaving a rather annoyed and confused Draco perched on the arm of the sofa.

She rummaged under her bed for a few minutes and finally came out with an "aha!" as she held a small box wrapped in silver paper. She ran back down the stairs and stumbled back into the room, rushing to catch her breath. "I almost forgot, I wanted to give this to you after, but we got back so late, but yeah, Merry Christmas Draco," she mumbled out, shoving the small, wrapped, gift in front of his face.

She watched nervously as Draco took the tiny package in his hands and frowned down at it. "You didn't have to," he started to say but slowly opened the gift anyway, his excitement building at the thought of what it may be. Hermione smile as she watched him unwrap the paper and open the tiny box, and could catch the small golden glint from inside. Draco's breath hitched as he watched the small snitch fly out the box and hover slightly in front of him. He looked up to Hermione with questioning eyes and an eyebrow slightly perched higher than the other.

"I know you're no Harry, as far as seekers go," she winked, "but I also remember you having a particular love of Quidditch that could rival his own, and I pulled some strings with McGonagall and this actually happens to be the very first snitch you ever caught, I believe it was against Ravenclaw?" she rushed out.

Draco nodded as he reached up and wrapped his hands around the tiny golden orb. He flinched as the tiny object started to hum and move beneath his fingers. Opening his hand to reveal the snitch on his flat palm he frowned as he saw it open up to reveal a small piece of paper stored inside. "What's this?"

"Snitches have flesh memory," she started to explain but was grateful Draco quickly caught on and nodded in understanding. "So I tucked a small note inside," she smiled.

Draco took out the folded paper and looked back up to her; "if it only opens to my touch, how did you get this inside?" he frowned.

"Brightest witch of our age remember?" she smirked and Draco only rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Go on, read it," she smiled, taking a small step closer towards him.

Draco unfolded the note and smirked as he read two little words written in a delicate script. He stood to his feet and Hermione blinked as he came closer, a greedy look in his eyes. "Granger," he growled with a smile.

Hermione held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks as it lightly pressed against his chest. "Merry Christmas Draco," she smiled as she stepped on her toes and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. She gasped as his hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him, deepening their kiss. Her tiny gasp was just enough to welcome his tongue to slip between her lips and Hermione took a few seconds before kissing him fiercely back. She could hear the faint noise of wings buzzing beside her ear as Draco let the snitch go to bring his now free hand up to her cheek, his fingers wrapping up to her ears and tangling in her hair. Her heart started to race and she brought her hands up to his hair, tugging slightly on the gold strands and laughed against his lips as his breath caught.

The longer they kissed, the faster her heart seemed to pound and Hermione felt as if she were on fire, in fact, the entire room seemed to feel rather hot, almost bursting with electricity. She was about to pull away, but her mind instantly shifted elsewhere as Draco's lips found her neck. She let out a light moan as he nipped the tight skin just above her collarbone. She felt a chill down her spine as his hand drifted lower, gripping tightly to her bum, as if someone was breathing down her back. Draco pulled her even closer and she noticed his growing interest, but she couldn't help but suddenly feel like something wasn't right. It wasn't until they both heard a clatter that they pulled away from each other, Hermione's eyes searching for the noise, but Draco's still focused intently on her as he breathed heavily over her. "Shit! Draco! The tree's on fire!" she screamed and instantly pulled out her wand, simultaneously throwing Draco aside to begin putting the flames out. She found it increasingly difficult to control and was panicking as her spells didn't seem to work, not to mention the furious wind that was whipping her hair to cover her eyes.

"Draco, will you cut tha-oh," she sighed as she felt firm hands on her shoulders, his thumbs slowly circling her shoulder-blades.

"Relax," he purred in her ear, and the sensation alone was enough to calm her nerves. The wind seemed to stop and she slowly raised her wand casting a quick Aguamenti charm at the flames lapping at the branches. Within seconds the flames disappeared, and the tree was repaired; only a few broken ornaments littered the ground. She turned around and found herself tight against Draco's body once again, his arms around her waist.

"Er, thanks," she smiled, looking up at the familiar grey eyes that looked hungrily down on her. They stared at each other for a few minutes before a grin cracked on Draco's face and he started to laugh. Hermione frowned but soon found she was laughing at the absurdity of everything that had just happened as well. "I don't think we should do that again," she sighed, shaking her head, "lest I burn the house down."

"I'll take my chances," Draco growled, but his hands dropped from her waist, knowing it was probably best not to take the chance. While he certainly wanted more, he had also grown fond of his new place; he'd just have to wait until she had more control over her abilities. "Thank you Hermione, for the present… and the snitch," he winked.

"You're welcome," she blushed, taking a small step back. She certainly hadn't planned on a full out snog session, only wanted to give him a small kiss, but the tickle she felt on her lips told her that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. "Well, we should both get some sleep," she nodded and made her way up to her room, leaving a smirking Malfoy in his living room, watching the small golden snitch buzz around his head.

As she crawled under her fluffy covers, Hermione brought her hand up to her lips and smiled against her fingers. Her heart fluttered as she pictured his firm grip on her back, securing her against him as he kissed her. She tugged the blanket higher so it only left her eyes and nose exposed, hiding the growing blush on her cheeks. It was certainly a new development, and while not entirely unwelcome, Hermione couldn't help the growing feeling that she was both figuratively and literally, playing with fire. However, that troublesome thought still didn't stop her from drifting to a sleep full of pleasant dreams pertaining to a certain blonde wizard.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

Draco sat in the armchair and crossed one leg over the other, his foot tapping against the floor while he listened to feet patter through his house, a woman's voice chattering away about this or that, and the occasional yowl from Crookshanks being disturbed from his slumber. He looked down to his black oxford shoes, and slim black trousers, picking a stray orange hair from the fabric. "Damn cat," he scowled as he searched the rest of his outfit while he waited for Hermione to be ready. It would be the first time she had left the house for somewhere public in _weeks_ and while they were certainly nervous, it was also a special occasion.

The Ministry was hosting their annual New Year's Eve Gala, and it was mandatory for the three war heroes attend, despite all the circumstances in regards to their safety. If one of them were to simply not show up, the press would have a field day, especially if it were Hermione, and as much power Kingsley held as Minister, the trio didn't feel right putting that kind of strain on Kingsley. Of course Ron and Draco both agreed that Hermione should not attend, Ron no longer trusting the ministry, and Draco out of purely selfish reasons, naturally. But when Hermione Granger puts her foot down, the discussion is over; there is no negotiating, no compromises, something Draco still wasn't used to.

So here he was, trying to be the picture of patience while he waited for the abundantly brown haired witch to be ready to leave. If he was going to get dragged to one of these things, he certainly was not going to be late. Draco himself had decided against typical dress robes, and instead opted for muggle clothing in an attempt to show the public he really has turned over a new leaf, and he also thought he looked rather fetching. If he was completely honest, he could give a rat's arse about what people thought about him and was more intrigued by just how flattering muggle clothes could be, but he couldn't very well admit that.

He wore slim black trousers and black oxford dress shoes, a white button up under a black waistcoat, and something called a 'bow tie' around his neck. Draped on the arm of his chair was his suit jacket, which was actually navy, with a black collar. The navy added a little more colour to his usual pale skin, something Hermione seemed far too smug about when she mentioned it, but Draco had to admit she was right.

Over the week since the kiss, they hadn't spoken about it, much like the other times as well, but he felt this time it was more because of her 'reaction' to him rather than the act itself. While he was certainly frustrated that he couldn't just scoop her away to his room, he also knew that might be a very dangerous thing to do. She might set the curtains on fire, or flood the room, drowning them in the process and Draco certainly did not want his obituary to read _'War Hero and Ex-Death Eater dead in fire caused by shagging'_. So here they were, pretending yet again that there was nothing, no undeniable force, between them.

Draco checked the time and groaned as they were due to leave in five minutes. "Trust me Granger, that mane of yours would take an army a week to tame, get your knickers on and let's go," he yelled, hoping she could hear him all the way upstairs.

"Shove off Malfoy," she yelled back, and a smirk planted itself on his face. He loved how easy it was to rile her up sometimes. He tapped his fingers on his knees and was about to yell up at her again when he heard faint footsteps coming down the stairs. He quickly jumped to his feet to greet her, and possibly offer some kind of backhanded compliment but his words failed him as she came into his sight. A small blush grew on her face and he instantly knew he must look ridiculous, gawking at her the way he was, but he couldn't help it. She was radiant.

Hermione wore a floor length navy sequinned gown that hugged her curves just enough before floating to the ground from the hips. The sleeves were snug and long, and the front sat high on her chest, disappointingly, but the back made up for it as it hung low, tastefully dropping just above her lower back. She had her hair in neat waves, with a braid on each side pulling the hair from her face to the back, where it was pinned with a tiny black bow. She hardly had any jewelry on except a small delicate necklace and tiny earrings to match. The ones Draco had actually gotten her for Christmas he noticed with a smile. Her eyelids were dusted lightly with a brown, shimmery powder, her lashes seemed darker than normal, but not layered on thick, and her lips were a stunning red that were almost screaming to be kissed.

Draco gulped back his shock and held out an arm which she gladly took, her other hand lifting up the front of her dress to reveal simple black flats. Draco smirked, knowing she wasn't the type to wear heels, and he was thankful that while she certainly looked beautiful, she was still practical, and if anything did happen, heels just weren't practical. Granger was always prepared, it seemed, no matter the occasion, and that was something he valued most about her. "See, I told you, it's as good as it's going to get under the time restraints," he teased lightly, giving her a small hip bump which she quickly returned.

"Shut it Malfoy," she rolled her eyes, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Draco laughed as he dropped his arm only for a moment to pick up his wand and his jacket before he led them to the fireplace to whip off to the Ministry of Magic. "I can't believe the year is finally over," he sighed, thinking back to how drastic his life had changed in just the last six months alone.

"I know," she muttered as she grabbed a handful of floo powder for the both of them. "Do you have everything?" she asked, double checking they were ready.

"Yep," he replied.

"Wand?" she asked.

"Yes Granger, can we _please_ go now?" he pleaded.

"Let me just see," she said as she tucked her wand between her teeth and rummaged through her bag to see if she had everything. "Yep, got it, we're good, let's go," she smiled, returning her wand to her bag and dropped the floo powder into the fireplace, announcing their destination.

* * *

><p>Draco stepped first onto the ministry floor before offering his hand to Hermione to help her out of the fireplace and into the Atrium. He was slightly disappointed when her hand lowered when a sudden rush of cameras were pointed in their direction, flashes of light blinding him temporarily, but was satisfied as he felt her tiny hand wrap around his wrist and dragged him through. There was a look of determination in her eyes as she weaved her way through. "Yes, yes, I'm Hermione Granger, and yes this is Draco Malfoy, and yes we're here for the gala, why else do you think we're here, idiots the lot of you!" he smiled with amusement as he heard her growl to the reporters as she stormed her way through the crowd.<p>

They finally found some peace when they entered the hall where the gala was being held, but Draco once again was disappointed as her hand dropped away from his.

"Harry! Ginny!" she called out and Draco's eyes saw the familiar round specks and long red hair head in their direction. "Where's Ron?"

"Where do you think?" Harry said with a raised eyebrow and shot his hand out to Draco. He quickly shook Potter's hand and then stiffened as a rather large belly bumped into him while the red-head's arms wrapped around him. He returned Ginny's hug and grimaced as he stuck his hands back in his pockets. It was still too weird to think of them as friends, he wasn't exactly sure when they were on physical contact terms, but he guessed it was probably when he had saved Hermione's life.

Speaking of the witch, she let out a snort and shook her head. "Late as usual I guess? Is he bringing someone?" she asked inquisitively.

"I think he might actually be coming with someone, but he didn't say who, said it was a surprise," Ginny shrugged.

"Well good for him," Hermione smiled honestly.

Draco noticed that Harry had worn muggle attire as well, only his was entirely black, save for the white button up shirt, and Ginny seemed to be radiating with colour in her flowing, emerald green chiffon gown. It certainly suited her ever growing belly. He smirked at the thought and still could not believe in just a month there would be a Potter-Weasley spawn entering the world, wreaking havoc on them all. He found himself seriously hoping the child took after his mother more, as she seemed to be least insufferable Gryffindor he'd ever met, and that statement even included Hermione. While he certainly was rather fond of the bushy haired witch, he still thought she was an annoying know-it-all that somehow knew how to push all of his buttons.

Shortly after they found a table, Ron showed up with a blonde witch in tow that he vaguely recognized from Hermione's fundraiser, but couldn't recall her name.

"Luna! It's so great to see you!" Hermione near shouted as she jumped up to hug the blonde girl.

_Ah that's right, little Loony Lovegood,_ he smirked, thinking it certainly was the perfect pairing. The dimwit and the oddball, though he wasn't entirely sure how Ron seemed to be attracting these highly intelligent witches. _Though he did date that Lavender girl,_ he reminded himself, and seemed comforted by the fact that the weasel at least refined his tastes slightly since then.

"Hello Hermione, and hello Harry," she spoke dreamily. "Ginny you look like a goddess, I see you chose green to protect little James from the Pifulling Pixies, I suggest staying away from the colour yellow though, they love yellow," she said in her sing song voice.

"Pifling Pixies? What?" Draco snorted, and turned to see Ginny was attempting to hold back her own laughter as well.

"Hello Draco, Pifulling Pixies, I don't expect you to know what they are, as they generally only hover around pregnant women, but they can sense when a child is near and will enter into the child's mind through the mother's nose and speak awful, nasty thoughts to the child before he or she is born. A child influenced by these creatures typically tend to be more misbehaved, and will spend hours upon hours crying, or throwing tantrums, especially if they do not get their way. Draco? Do you know if your mother ever wore yellow when she was pregnant with you?" she asked curiously, causing Harry to spit out his drink.

"Oh this is rich," Ron laughed as he draped an arm around his date's shoulder.

Draco frowned, and turned to Hermione who too chuckled lightly, but quickly stopped when she caught his gaze. She leaned close to his ear and whispered. "Luna has certain… beliefs… you might remember from school. We find it easier to just play along," she giggled into his ear and Draco's heart fluttered at the feeling of her breath, his mind drifting from what he thought was an unintentional insult from the Loony girl.

Ron and Luna joined them at their table and soon their glasses filled with champagne, and their plates were covered with food. Ron was about to dig in when a loud voice rang through the air, nearly startling him from his seat, allowing Draco to have the laugh this time.

"Welcome esteemed colleagues and remarkable guests," Kingsley spoke as he rose from his table only two spots from theirs. "I just want to thank you all for a wonderful year; there have been many advancements in the wizarding world such as the invention of a newer, stronger Wolfsbane potion, by the talented Mr. Blaise Zabini," a spotlight shone on Draco's friend and as the crowed clapped, he couldn't help but whistle as Blaise stood and waved to the crowd. He heard his friend was going to be a guest of honor at this thing this year, and he couldn't help but be majorly impressed, as well as thankful that he would have one of his own friends to actually speak to during the evening.

"As well, I would also like to shine a light on the creation of Dobby's Centre for Elfish Welfare, spearheaded by the one and only Hermione Granger, who's endless dedication to the support and security for the rights and well-being of Elves on a national scale has finally come to fruition," Kingsley added and suddenly Draco found himself flooded with light as Hermione blushed and stumbled to get to her feet to wave to everyone that clapped around her. As she sat back down, Draco nodded with a smile as he finished clapping in her honour.

"And while it is important to recognize all the achievements of the many witches and wizards both in attendance and those that were unable to be here today, it is also important that we reflect on not just our past year, but our lives, for every moment of every day have led to this very one. Every person in your life has made an important impact, regardless of how little or large it had seemed at the time, none of us here would be who we are today without the people we have met along the way. So I would like to raise a toast to each and every one of you, for making each other's lives truly remarkable," Kingsley finished his speech with the raise of his glass and encouraged everyone to their feet, their own glasses high in their hands. They each took a sip and sat back to their seats, attention back on their Minister. "Now, I won't take any more of your time," Draco swore he caught Kingsley glancing at Ron with a smirk before readdressing the crowd, "let's eat."

With that, they all dug into their meals and the night began. The first course consisted of tomato bisque that they all agreed was delightful. The second course had two options to choose from. There was a dish of salmon topped with rosemary and lemon slices, and a side of garlic tossed asparagus and wild rice. The other option was a prime rib with a side of mashed potatoes and orange glazed carrots. All you had to do was announce either fish or prime rib, and your choice of dish would appear before you. The third course was a simple garden salad, and dessert was a small bowl of strawberry lemon sorbet. As each course commenced, the entertainment seemed to change. The night started with a string quartet, followed by acrobats that spun and danced on ribbons that hung high above the tables, finally moving to a live band that seemed to be on the rise called Phoenix Reborn. Draco had to admit they were quite good and could see why they were slowly becoming more popular than the Weird Sisters, who haven't had a hit since, well, the war. The rise of Voldemort seemed to put a damper on the music industry, but when it was over, it bounced back with a vengeance.

When dessert was over the tables cleared themselves and Draco was about to ask if anyone would like a drink when a familiar laugh came to his side. "I never thought I'd see the day, Draco Malfoy, mingling with a bunch of Gryffindors," Blaise snorted as he pulled a chair up beside him. He turned to his friend and smirked.

"And I never thought I'd see the day Blaise Zabini would be leading the cause for werewolves," he retorted. While Blaise certainly had never shown a particular distaste for the creatures, he was still surprised when he first heard the news of his friend's creation. It seemed at first completely accidental, but when he realized the potential in it, he ran with it. He had managed to create a new form of the Wolfsbane potion that required the user to only take once, the day before the full moon, instead of an entire week, and while it still did not provide a cure, it did allow the witch or wizard to speak even in their werewolf form, and make the transformations essentially painless, making the burden a little easier to bear.

"I read about your success, and it's really impressive Zabini," Hermione smiled, interjecting into their conversation.

"Please Hermione, any friend of Draco's is a friend of mine, call me Blaise," the wizard held out his hand which Hermione immediately shook in response. Draco soon found himself in the middle of a heated discussion of properties of potions and ingredients between his best friend and his, well, and Hermione. As the two chattered away, Draco excused himself to grab more drinks for the table. He soon returned with three bottles of champagne and shrugged at the suspicious look Hermione was giving him.

"It's not all for me," he said innocently before placing two of the bottles on the table. "Just this one is," he grinned, dodging a predictable swat towards his head as he sat down in her seat, as she now occupied his. He observed the strange group as he filled their glasses and imagined his ancestors would be rolling in their graves right about now. Here he was sitting with two Weasleys, the boy wonder who conquered Voldemort, a Ravenclaw who believed in fairytales, a Slytherin who was helping werewolves fit into society, and most importantly, a muggle-born witch who had bested him in everything apart from Quidditch, one he had kissed on several occasions and had rather inappropriate dreams about at least once a week.

Ginny and Ron seemed to be quarrelling about which Quidditch team was better, the Harpies, or the Cannons, which Draco occasionally added that they were both wrong just to have a laugh at their expressions. Harry seemed to be politely listening to Luna rave about some mystical creature or another, and Hermione and Blaise were back to discussing different uses for the leaves from a Whomping Willow. He and the other Slytherin boy both laughed as she told them about her experiences with the very tree on their old school grounds, strangely in awe at how much their escapades relied on sheer dumb luck.

"Did you know the Whomping Willow was placed there to cover up a secret passageway that led to the Shrieking Shack?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Really, and how did you know about this?" Blaise chuckled.

"Well, you all remember the story about Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew?" she asked reluctantly, obviously not wanting to relive certain memories. They both nodded in response. "Sirius was an animagus and was in his dog form when he dragged Ron and his rat, who was actually Peter Pettigrew in disguise, down beneath the roots of the tree. Harry and I tried to run after him, but we got a little… tangled in the branches," she scrunched her nose and Draco could imagine the pain of being whooped by the big tree. "I had to hold onto dear life, afraid it would toss me over the trees and into the forbidden forest," she chuckled. "Anyway, we eventually got through and discovered a tunnel, when we followed it, we ended up in the shrieking shack," she shrugged.

"Holy shit Granger," Blaise laughed. "You really are a bloody Gryffindor, running head first into situations no sane person would ever try," he commented in disbelief.

"Er- thanks, I think," she blushed at the roundabout compliment.

Draco grinned and really couldn't believe it either, once again there was another thing she outshined him at, breaking the rules. "Honestly Granger, here I thought I could claim title to the biggest rule-breaker of Hogwarts, finally having at least one thing to claim as mine, and yet once again I have to admit defeat," he chuckled and nodded his head in a mock bow. Blaise chuckled as well and clapped a hand on Draco's back.

"Oh there definitely was no contest mate, Hermione here makes you look like Percy Weasley," his friend teased, earning him a deadly glare at the comparison.

"Well it wasn't all me," Hermione said shyly, looking towards her two best friends.

"Ah, but you were probably the brains behind it all," Draco added, tugging on one of her curls.

"She certainly was, bloody brilliant," Ron added as the rest of the table slowly joined the conversation. "Did you tell 'em about the Dragon at Gringotts?" he asked.

"That was you?" Blaise nearly spat out his drink.

Draco laughed and it was his turn to pat his friend on the back. "Welcome to my life old friend," he smirked, letting his arm linger around Hermione's shoulder for a moment, resting it on the back of her chair after he removed his hand from Blaise's back.

"Right, let's all recall all the times you all nearly killed yourselves while I was stuck in Hogwarts with the doomsday twins," Ginny rolled her eyes, sipping on her glass of water until she was left with ice in the bottom. "Shit, this damn baby," she groaned as she twisted in her seat. "I'll be back, gotta pee," she announced as she kissed Harry on the cheek.

"Okay, but hurry back, the countdown is in five minutes," Harry smiled lovingly as he watched his wife hobble away to the toilets. Draco would normally be sick at the inherent 'cuteness' of the couple, but he had to hand it to Potter, he did well for himself, finally achieved the family he deserved. He couldn't help but feel the familiar pang of jealousy at the thought that now Draco was the one left without a family, but a quick whiff of bushy hair reminded him that not all family was blood. He looked around the table and suddenly felt a strange feeling overcome him that he was certainly going to blame on the amount of champagne they had all consumed through the night, but deep down he knew it for what it truly was, a sense of belonging.

The conversation slowly died and the Minister rose to his feet once again. "I just want to say a quick word before we begin the countdown," he started.

"I should go check and make sure Ginny's alright," Hermione smiled as she got to her feet. "Don't worry about the countdown, there will be plenty of others," she rolled her eyes. "I'd rather miss ringing in the New Year then try to rush a pregnant Ginny," she laughed and everyone at the table responded with a nod.

Draco watched as Hermione's curls bounced away and turned back to his drink listening to the rest of Kingsley's speech. "I want to thank you all for attending this evening, and as we celebrate the New Year I want you all to think about your loved ones, and think about yourself. Think about how far you have come this year, and remind yourself that no matter what life may throw your way, you will always find hope. I'd like to quote an old friend of mine, the late Albus Dumbledore 'happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.' So please, have hope, and cherish those most dear to you. I believe it's time, so please join me in counting down to the new year," he finished with a strong grin.

"Ten,"

Draco thought about his first year at Hogwarts, how despite being a spoilt brat he was in awe with everything surrounding him.

"Nine,"

He thought about his mother, and how she essentially saved the wizarding world by lying directly to Voldemort's face.

"Eight,"

Draco thought about how proud his mother would be of him now.

"Seven,"

He thought about Hermione.

"Six,"

He remembered how she looked as she came down the stairs at the Yule Ball.

"Five,"

He remembered how she looked as she came down the stairs in his apartment only hours ago.

"Four,"

Draco thought about their kiss at Christmas.

"Three,"

He thought about her smile.

"Two,"

He thought he might love her.

"One,"

He vowed to tell her. Tonight.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" They all cheered, and tossed back their drinks, offering congratulations to each other. Draco felt his friends wrap their arms around his shoulder as they swayed and began to sing, but all Draco could think about was finding Hermione to tell her how he felt. He was about to pull away when his heart stopped. At first he wasn't sure he heard it, but when the music cut off he could hear it again, and so could everyone else.

A blood curdling scream echoed through the hall and it seemed as if all time had frozen. Ron and Harry looked panicked, Blaise was frowning, and even Luna seemed terrified, but Draco felt rage as her scream carried through his ears. One minute he heard Harry shout his name and the next he had found himself bombarding through the hall doors, heading towards the girl's lavatory. He ran through the corridors and finally burst through the door, his heart dropping into his stomach at the sight before him. His hands shook and his eyes turned black as he stared at the blood covered walls.

_NOBODY ELSE HAS TO DIE_

Those were the words scrawled along the stone walls. Draco's gaze dropped to the gruesome scene where a mop of brown hair heaved with a sprawling body in her arms, both subjects covered in no doubt the same blood used to write the little message. He finally caught a glimpse of the body in Hermione's arms, only to wish he hadn't just confirmed his fears, but there it was, plain as day, bright red hair surrounding a freckled, feminine face that could only belong to one, Ginny Weasley.


	27. Hold Back the River

**A/N:** I hope you guys don't hate me for leaving you hangin' like that, but life kind of caught up with me. A couple years ago I started back up at school and well I've just started my FINAL semester (yay!) after the holidays so I've been a bit busy with that, not to mention exhausted, no more sleeping in. Anyway, hope you enjoy this next chapter, and thank you for sticking with me!

I do not own anything from the HP Universe created by J.K. Rowling

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Twenty-Six:<span> _Hold Back the River_**

**Hermione's POV**

Harry leaned forward in the small hospital chair, his head in his hands and a quiet sob escaping his lips. Ron sat next to him, his hands clenched and jaw set tight as he stared blankly at the wall across from them. Draco was busy speaking with the medi-witches, trying to get any answers, but they refused to give any. Hermione sat on the floor across from her friends and dragged her knees close to her chest, her cheeks tear-stained and makeup smeared across her face. They had sat there for hours. In fact Hermione was certain the sun was starting to shine through the windows, signalling the start of a new day, of a new year. _Happy New Year,_ she thought.

"I don't bloody well care if it's against policy, what is happening in there? I highly think her brother, and her god damn husband, who happens to be Harry Potter, you know the bloody wizard who saved all our bloody lives, qualify as family and therefore have the right to see her!" she could hear Draco yell down the hall as he harassed the poor medi-witch that was only in training. Hermione briefly thought she probably won't still around for long after he finishes with her, poor girl. But Draco had a point; it was highly strange that they weren't even letting family see her.

"I-I'm s-sorry sir," the young witch stammered. "W-When the surgery is c-complete, then you will be fr-free to see her and you will get the news, b-but until then, it's a highly d-d-delicate situation sir," she said as she looked to the ground to avoid further eye contact.

"You won't hear the end of this," she could hear the venom in his voice, but soon found his footsteps sound closer and closer.

Hermione placed her head on her knees and shut her eyes as he leaned against the wall next to her, remaining standing. As she closed her eyes visions of the night before flooded into her mind.

_As Kingsley began his speech, Hermione quietly tiptoed out of the grand hall and into the corridor. Once the door was slowly shut behind her she walked at a normal pace and made her way to the women's lavatory to see if Ginny was alright. While she knew Ginny would hardly ask for help going to the bathroom of all places, Hermione felt it was her duty as a friend to check up on her VERY pregnant friend in the bathroom. Plus she wanted to sneak away from the celebrations for a while, worried that a certain wizard might try to sneak a kiss at midnight._

_The kiss. She hadn't forgotten it, far from it actually, but she chose to pretend it never happened, at least in public and she would break it apart bit by bit as she analyzed it in private. This happened mostly at night. She supposed she could also use this little girl time to tell Ginny about their latest kiss, she had promised she would tell her if anything else happened, and certainly a rather big 'anything else' happened. _

_When she finally reached the door she was slightly nervous, but knew she would need her younger friend's help on figuring this all out, for she just couldn't understand it. Hermione slowly opened the door and called for her friend, pausing halfway through her name however when she nearly slipped on something wet on the floor._

_She looked down to the ground and her eyes widened as she noticed the distinct red liquid that was smeared on the tiles below her. Stepping further into the room she noticed blood smeared across the walls._

"_Nobody else has to die," she read with a gasp and finally noticed the source of all the blood, lying in the middle of the washroom floor._

_Hermione dropped to the floor as her voice cut off, her own scream still echoing in her ears. She scrambled close to the girl that lay unconscious on the floor of the lavatory, her own blood pooled around her. She scooped Ginny's head into her lap and tried to call her name again, attempting to wake her up. "No, no, no, no, no, Ginny, come on, wake up," she cried. _

_She quickly searched the scene to find the wound, but there was far too much blood, and her eyes were too blurred with panic to do any good. She let out another gut wrenching scream as she held Ginny's head in her lap again. She coughed as she choked on her own tears. This could not be happening, not to Ginny, not to Harry. Her hands shook as she rocked back and forth, whispering into her friends ear, hoping she was alright, she didn't even hear the voice calling her name as Draco stepped into the room. She couldn't hear anything but her own heart as it slowly cracked into pieces._

Suddenly the doors burst open and several heads of red hair dashed in their direction, each face filled with worry. "Where is she?" Mrs. Weasley barked at the young witch that appeared next to her. "Where's my daughter?"

"Th-there," the witch pointed in their direction and Hermione watched as Molly ran in her direction, a trail of Weasleys behind her.

"Harry! Oh Harry," Hermione heard the older witch cry as she embraced her son-in-law. Hermione watched as the two of them held each other and cried. The other Weasleys soon took a seat, each one supporting the other while Hermione sat on and watched. Unable to take the heartbreak she soon let her head fall back into her knees.

"_Hermione?" she heard a familiar voice, but still jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, it's me, it's Draco, wh-what happened?" she heard his voice crack._

_Hermione shook her head and clutched tighter on to Ginny, unable to face the truth displayed before her. She held tight to Ginny's head as Draco shifted around her. She was about to scream at him to back off when he reached forward and grabbed Ginny's neck, but his next words made her choke on her words._

"_There's a pulse," he gasped and Hermione's head shot up as she looked to him for confirmation. "It's faint, we need to go now," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder and she managed to give a slight nod, however her resolve nearly broke again as the door opened to reveal Harry and Ron. The two she knew she could not stomach to see right then. The look on Harry's face was what ultimately did it, and she quickly turned to the side to vomit the entire contents of her night onto the no longer white tile. _

Snapping out of her memories, Hermione jumped to her feet as she saw the healer finally return. Blood. There was so much blood. It was the first thing she noticed. The second was the solemn look on the man's face. And the third was the slight tremor in his hands. She watched as he pulled Harry aside and within minutes she saw her friend bolt down the hall and past the doors to find his wife. The look on the healers face had her falling to the floor once again.

"_Why haven't they said anything?" Harry muttered as he paced back and forth, his hands pulling tight to his hair, surely removing some of them from his scalp._

"_I'm sure…" but before Ron could finished his panicked reply, they all crowded around the healer that entered the waiting room. Hermione couldn't help but detect the solemn look on the man's face. _

"_Well?" Draco growled. Hermione tried to say something, but she found she had very little voice left, so all that came out was a small squeak._

"_Well, the good news is, you brought her here just in time," he said with a soft smile, trying to reassure them that at least there was a small hope, but Hermione knew if that was the GOOD news, then there was certainly no hope._

"_And the bad?" she managed to say, her voice cracking near the end._

_The healer sighed and ran his hands through his sand coloured hair. "Well. We are going to try and do everything we can to prevent it, but there is a good chance we will not be able to save both of them. Now, as a healer it is our duty to do everything we can to save the patient…"_

"_But that's my son!" Harry growled, Draco had to place a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from lunging at the healer who took a quick step back._

"_I understand, and that's what your wife said as well but…" Hermione couldn't help but get the sense this man clearly didn't understand what was crucial information at a time like this. Harry's interruption confirmed her suspicions. _

"_She's AWAKE?" he yelled, tossing Draco off his shoulders as he took a dangerous step closer to the wizard._

"_Y-yes, barely, and won't be for long, but she woke up five minutes ago…"_

"_And you're telling us this NOW?" it was Ron's turn to outrage. "What kind of place is this?"_

_Harry started for the door, brushing past the healer and they all quickly followed into the room where Ginny was placed on a white bed. The wounds were being kept under control by the wands of the medi-witches and wizards surrounding her, but Harry managed to squeeze his way through to his wife._

"_H-Harry, they can't, please, s-save him," she cried as she grasped for her husband's hand._

"_G-ginny, you could, I can't make that choice," he choked back a sob as he shook his head. Hermione watched as one of Ginny's small hands fell on his cheek. _

"_P-please," she begged. All it took was a small nod from Harry and she finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep to allow the healers to do their job._

"_Save my son," he ordered the healer as he stormed back out into the hallway. _

_As they re-entered the waiting room Hermione screamed as suddenly her best friend was thrown against the wall. "RON!" she shouted as she watched her one best friend hold the other by the neck._

"_Save your SON?" he growled as he slammed Harry against the wall. Hermione winced and took a step forward, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder, but he quickly shoved her away, causing her to fall onto the floor, where she remained for the duration of the night._

_Harry used this time to force Ron away from him, but soon found the red-head's firm hands were back on his throat as he was thrown back against the wall, the fight clearly gone from Harry's system, instead replaced with grief.  
><em>

"_That's my sister! How dare you," he started._

"_That's my son!" Harry managed to cry out, his voice distorted by the lack of air._

_Ron removed his hands and dropped his head, Hermione could tell there were tears falling, but she would never say anything. She knew too well Ron was not one to openly display his emotions, and he had already displayed far too many for one night, they all had._

"_I know," Ron choked. "B-but this is Ginny," Hermione swore she could hear him begging. "You can have another child, but it's Ginny, Harry!" he growled again, this time his fist finding Harry's jaw with a loud crack._

"_That's enough!" Draco yelled as he pulled Ron away from Harry, and put himself between the two. "Now if you two are done, the healer said they will do everything they can. They still might be able to save both of them. Harry, I know this is your son, and I know Ginny begged you to save him instead of her, but regardless the hospital is going to save whoever has the best chance of surviving, or you could lose both of them, got it?" _

_Hermione watched as Harry slumped into a chair opposite from where she sat. Ron soon fell into a seat next to him._

"_Sorry mate," Ron mumbled as he placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder, both of them with tears filling their eyes to the brim._

"_Me too," Harry sighed as he dropped his head. "Me too."_

Hermione followed the rather large group into the operation room after the healer told them it would be okay to go in. She paused just inside the room however and waited, and waited, and waited some more until she could muscle up the courage to see what had transpired. The slight twitch of a toe on the hospital bed had her leap forward with a grin. When she stood at the end of the bed she sighed with relief at the slow rise and fall of Ginny's chest. Turning quickly to see Harry, her eyes filled with tears, this time out of joy.

She noticed there was something in Harry's arms and gasped at the small bundle of grey blanket wrapped tightly in his arms. _Had they done it?_ She thought, her heart starting to fill with hope. She took a step closer to Harry, but noticed something was wrong. He was rocking the small bundle in his arms, but his face was twisted into a look of confusion. He seemed torn she thought and she wondered what could be wrong. She watched him close his eyes and lean his head forward, placing a small kiss on the bundle and she just caught the single tear that slipped from his face to the child's.

Slowly backing away as the realization hit her, she shook her head. "No," she trembled, causing the group to look up at her. Harry's eyes were the last and the most revealing. "Not," she swallowed, but when Harry lowered his head in a firm nod, it was enough to confirm the worst. James Sirius Potter, was dead before he could live.

_Nobody else has to die,_ she suddenly thought, recalling the words sprawled across the walls. Suddenly it seemed like the room had filled with them. Everywhere she turned, all she saw was blood and those five little words that she knew would haunt her every day and night. "Nobody else has to die," she whispered to herself as she slowly backed away.

"Hermione?" Ron sobbed as he reached out for her but she pulled away.

"DON'T TOUCH ME," she spat, but she instantly shrunk as the doors flew open and a rush of wind tousled her matted hair. "Don't touch me," she whimpered as she kept backing away, her voice starting to tremble.

"Dear, it's not your fault," Mrs. Weasley spoke softly, trying to reassure her.

But the minute those words left the Weasley matriarch's lips, Hermione had decided she couldn't be there. She had to get out. So she bolted. Quickly turning around she sprinted through the doors. She ran down the corridors and didn't stop until she finally stepped outside into the fresh winter air. She paused for a moment to catch her breath, her lungs suddenly feeling as if there were a dozen knives poking into them. She turned suddenly as someone called her name.

"Hermione! Come back!" Draco cried, but it was too late. With a pop, Hermione disappeared.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

"Hermione! Come back!" he called breathlessly to the bushy haired witch standing across the street. But without another word, she quickly disappeared from his sight. He made his way back to the room where he found the Weasleys and Potter finally sitting down, only Harry still clung to the small, lifeless child, as if just the tighter he held it, or him, he'd be able to thrust life back into his tiny son. He sighed as he pulled up a chair. When Potter gave him a questioning look, wondering where Hermione was, he could only shake his head.

"I-it's not her fault, how can she think that?" Ron stuttered, his eyes red.

Draco shrugged and sunk deeper into his seat, letting his eyes close tight to fight back the swell of tears fighting to break free. When he was certain they wouldn't escape he opened his eyes again and got up from his seat. "M-may I?" he asked Harry as he held out his arms.

The others watched in both a mix of suspicion and confusion as Harry willingly handed over his son to Draco Malfoy, but Draco neither sneered nor rolled his eyes as he held the small child. Instead he carefully uncovered some of the blanket to get a better look at the boy and couldn't help the small tear that rolled down his cheek. There in his arms was something so innocent, something so delicate, that had done nothing wrong in the world and had yet to even experience it, and it was taken from them. It wasn't fair. He had seen a lot of cruel things in his lifetime, which wasn't very long to begin with, and this had to have been the cruelest.

He figured Hermione had come to the same conclusion, which was why she left. The other's thought maybe she went home to rest, or to shower, apparently she never was very good in hospitals, despite being quite accomplished at healing spells. But Draco had a creeping suspicion that wasn't the case. The look on her face before she apparated, told him so. No, when he got home, she would not be there. She would be gone, and he thought he knew where, but he pushed aside his instincts for a minute, letting hope fill his head. Perhaps she really did go home; maybe she was scared her emotions would be out of control. That must be it, he told himself, despite his gut wrenching his thoughts in another direction completely.

He quietly handed the bundle back to Harry and took his seat, but was surprised when a small voice perked up from the bed.

"H-Harry?" Ginny croaked as she leaned her head forward. "Harry?" she was frowning.

"I'm right here Gin," Harry said as he gripped her hand with his free one.

"Harry Potter you promised me," she growled, stricken by the fact that she was alive.

Harry's eyes filled with tears as he nodded. "I know, but I had no choice Ginny, they had to save whoever had the best chance, at that was you, it was either you, or neither of you, I-I-I'm sorry," he cried.

Ginny's face relaxed slightly as she began to understand, especially when she noticed her family surrounding her. "C-can I hold him?" she whimpered, tears starting to fall as the small bundle was placed in her arms while Harry helped prop her into a sitting position. "Oh, my boy. James," she sobbed as she ran her fingers through what little hair sat atop the child's head. "I'm so sorry," she whispered and placed a small kiss on the baby's forehead before finally giving the bundle back to Harry so she could lie down again.

Ginny's eyes caught Draco's and he tried his best to offer a supportive smile but his lips faltered and instead he just gave her a nod. He watched it slowly dawned on her that someone was missing.

"Where's Hermione?" she frowned, worried that something had happened to her friend. "Is she?" she choked back with relief when Harry shook his head.

"She's fine, but," Harry was about to tell Ginny what had just happened when suddenly the doors were thrown open again.

"I'm sorry sir, but she really must rest and," Draco could hear the medi-witch he had harassed earlier stammering as she spoke to the Minister.

"I have every right to be here, not as the Minister, but as their friend, now please dear, don't fret, just tell Healer Tuffins the circumstances and I'm sure all will be resolved," Kingsley spoke calmly. Draco had to admit he was impressed that the Minister was able to speak so authoritatively while keeping as calm as he did, though he supposed he wouldn't be a very good Minister for Magic if he couldn't.

"Kingsley, any news?" Harry asked, his voice shaking with concern.

"I'm afraid there were no traces left at the scene, and as far as the guests that were in attendance, no one apart from Ginny and Hermione had left the room at that time. I'm afraid that while I am here to offer my condolences, I am also here to ask a few questions, of course if Ginny doesn't mind," Kinsgley apologized.

"I-I'm afraid I don't remember much," Ginny said, her eyes dropping with disappointment.

"Just start with what you do remember," the older wizard sighed.

"Can't this be done later? She needs her bloody rest Kingsley," Arthur said, his voice rather strained despite not having spoken a word since he got there.

Kingsley smiled to his friend but shook his head. "Unfortunately, the sooner this is done, the sooner we can find out who did this. The Auror department alone, aside from you Harry, doesn't know what has happened, for right now this needs to stay private, before we have a riot on our hands," he explained. The minute he mentioned Aurors Ron seemed to tense, Draco noticed, and couldn't blame him.

"W-well, I was washing my hands when suddenly I found I couldn't speak, or was it whistle. Yes, I was humming to myself, I could hear music trailing down the hall and I was humming along when suddenly I couldn't hear my own voice. So of course I couldn't scream when h-he," she didn't have to continue. They all knew what she was trying to say.

"Could you see him?"

She shook her head. "He had on a mask. A black one," she answered. "B-but his voice was familiar. I c-can't remember from where, but I've heard it before." Draco noticed she seemed to shiver as she mentioned the voice, and he recalled that Hermione had said a very similar thing to how Ginny described her attacker. "I don't even know what happened next, I'm sorry; all I remember is everything going black." However her eyes seemed to light up at a thought. "I did see the knife he-um- it was entirely black and had detailing on the handle, I saw it on the floor before I-um- and the handle looked like it had a silver snake twisting its way around the knife, d-does that help?"

Suddenly all the eyes were turned to Draco and he shrugged. He knew they thought he would be the best person to go to for information like this, considering it was very likely this was one of the still remaining Death Eaters, and while the knife certainly sounded familiar, he really couldn't think of a face or a name to put with it. "I'm sorry, I don't know, but if I remember anything, I'll let you know straight away," he offered quietly, ashamed that he was still connected to those evil bastards, no matter how hard he tried to pretend he wasn't.

"Very well, thank you Ginny, I understand this must be very hard for you, for you all, and again, I offer my sincere apologies," Draco detected a slight waver in the Minister's voice, as if he were fighting the ever familiar lump in his throat as well. "Please, get some rest. Oh, where is Miss. Granger by the way?" he finally asked.

They all froze, unsure of what to say next when finally Ron spoke up. "Sh-she left, we think she went home to clean up, she was quite a mess, b-but we can't be sure," he dropped his head as he finished his sentence. They all knew too well that Hermione wouldn't stand for any one of them to get hurt, not when all they wanted was her, but they also hoped she wasn't stubborn enough to actually go to them. They hoped she had merely needed some air to think things through. However, they would all soon find that their worst fears were coming true.


	28. Let Me Down Easy

**A/N:** I'm sorry for the delay! You've all been lovely for sticking with it! This was just incredibly hard to write and had a bit of writer's block. It was also just hard to write because it was making me upset every time I tried. The writing may not be its best here, but I really just didn't know what to say or do. They need their time to grieve. I hope the chapter is okay! I'd appreciate any reviews to help! The next one will probably be up sooner (Hopefully, but idk school has been a bit busy lately and personal life has been kind of tough, but writing helps calm my nerves so….)

Disclaimer: I make no money and do not own anything written by J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Twenty-Seven:<strong>_**Let Me Down Easy**_

**Draco's POV**

Draco tore through his apartment, searching for any sign at all that she had been there, but he couldn't find a trace. His head was fuming with the idea that she could just leave like that, where was the level-headed Granger from school? Where was the rational, bookish girl he knew to be the only reason Potter and Weasley ever survived? She couldn't possibly think this was any of her fault? Could she? As he smacked his hand against the door frame into the living room he let out a low growl. Of course she could. After all, if he were in her position, he would think it too, because really they were after her, and if they had her, this wouldn't have happened. He pushed the thought down before it could even fully form in his mind, not even wanting to consider the possibility that she had gone directly to them. Even this new, irrational Granger wouldn't be that idiotic.

He moved to the sitting room and rifled through the books and papers on the table, ultimately sending them flying to the floor as he found nothing out of the ordinary, no books, no notes taken, even Bellatrix's diary was still there. He picked up the small book and whipped it across the room and watched as it shattered the glass casing on one of his liquor cabinets. In a fit of rage he flipped the table over and stormed up the stairs to check her room once more.

As he opened the door he jumped as Crookshanks bolted under his feet, no doubt peeved at the ruckus he was causing. He quickly slammed the door behind him and began his search again. He first checked her bedside table, turning over every drawer and every book. He threw the blankets and pillows to the floor, even checked under the bed, but still no sign of her ever being there. Pulling himself back to his feet he marched back to the door but stopped as something caught his eye on the bookshelf. While all the other books had the binding facing outwards, the book closest to the door was placed on the shelf backwards. He curiously pulled out the book and noticed a slip of paper folded into one of the pages. He turned to that spot in the book only to see a blank bit of parchment, no doubt a book mark. Even stranger, however, was that a page seemed to be missing. He quickly flipped to the cover of the book and frowned as there was no indication of the title _or_ author. Glancing through the other pages he noted it wasn't a particular book of interest, it only seemed to describe ancient myths or legends, but obviously something had caught her attention. If only he knew what was on that page she had torn.

He carried the book from the room, tucking it under his arm and made his way back to his own room, shutting the door behind him. He dropped the book onto his bedside table, intending to read it later, and flopped onto the edge of his bed. It was hard for him to ignore the obvious facts. Hermione had discovered something, and also wanted to put a stop to any harm coming to her friends. He briefly wondered why she couldn't at least let him in on whatever plan she had, but then again, weren't they friends now. "I wouldn't exactly use the term friends," he snorted as he remembered their little rendezvous on Christmas. Of course she would run off without telling anyone where. Of course she would try to finish this on her own. He cursed her Gryffindor bravery and pulled at his hair as he let out a frustrated groan.

Draco looked to the small picture on his table and gently held it in his hands. He let out a soft sigh as he traced the little wings on the tiny Hermione and decidedly let a single tear fall. "Where are you?" he questioned in a whisper almost too silent to hear. He placed the picture back down and looked at the large tome he had brought in. It was no use trying to search for answers tonight, he decided, not in his current state, so he left the room to find a better use for his time, which happened to lie just behind a newly broken glass cabinet door.

As he pulled the cap off a bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey, he flopped down on one of his armchairs and tilted the contents down his throat, wincing at the familiar burn of the liquid as it trickled down into his stomach. Pretty soon it felt as if his very bones were on fire as he absorbed every ounce of the bottle, and when it was empty, he merely summoned another one. A small noise at his feet had him nearly kick the small creature away, but the look on the cat's face caught a rare bout of sympathy from him.

"So you've finally noticed she's gone have you?" he frowned to his furry companion. The cat meowed in response and he sighed. Patting his knee he watched as the cat leapt into his lap and stared at him inquisitively while it was perched there. "You want some?" he drawled, holding the bottle towards the furry beast. He couldn't help but chuckle as the cat licked a small drop of alcohol from the rim of the bottle. The cat seemed to even enjoy it, so he poured a small capful and placed it on the armrest. Crookshanks immediately started lapping the liquid up and Draco gave a tiny smirk. "Well it looks like we now have two things in common," he nodded as he brought the bottle to his lips once more.

Throughout the hours he let his mind play over what little they knew about the various attacks that had happened so far. He first raked over the first attack on Hermione herself. She mentioned the voice seemed familiar, so he figured it must have been a Death Eater, or even a Snatcher, that had somehow escaped capture after the war, but there were so many that she had personally had contact with it was hard to narrow it down. Then there was the attack on Hogwarts, but that again was a loss apart from the confirmation that his Aunt was indeed, alive. He shuddered at the thought and took another swig of his bottle, his other hand gently stroking the sleeping creature on his lap. Next came the second attack on Hermione, and again it was a similar story, the man seemed familiar, but still nothing of distinction to note. Then there was the raid in the Forbidden forest, obviously the Auror department was corrupt, so who knew what other areas of the ministry were as well. Finally, he thought of the attack on Ginny that had just happened only several hours earlier. _Merlin, is it really only ten in the morning?_ He thought as he took another sip from his drink, not a care in the world that he was on his way to being severely intoxicated all before noon. He tried not to think of the fact that Ginny had nearly died, nor did he think of the fact that an innocent child was murdered. Instead, he thought of the facts. Someone, whom both Ginny _and_ Hermione had contact with was the culprit, which did narrow down the list, but only somewhat. Someone who was evil enough to try and murder a pregnant woman, which really didn't narrow the list down at all. And someone who had very distinct daggers that Draco felt he had seen before, but if he could only place where, as that would significantly lower his long list down to one.

He raked his mind for any memories of a black dagger with a silver snake winding around it, and while his mind kept producing vivid images of the item itself, he couldn't quite make out any faces of which they could belong to. He tried to think of every Death Eater evil enough to do such a horrendous thing, but he just couldn't connect the two. Instead, he tried to think of any memories of _where_ he had actually seen the dagger. He remembered them as a pair, and suddenly remembered seeing them on display somewhere. Yes, he remembered seeing them when he was younger, in a glass case. He also remembered seeing them a week after his mother had died, in that very same case. Draco nearly spewed all over himself, but managed to lean over the side of the chair just in time as he lost the entire contents of the two bottles. Crookshanks scowled as he jumped to the floor, obviously disgusted by this act, but he couldn't help himself. His hands trembled, first with fear, then with anger as it suddenly dawned on him where he remembered seeing those daggers.

Draco tore himself from his seat and bolted to the fireplace. He threw a handful of floo powder into the ashes and called out his destination. He didn't even wait for his feet to be firmly planted on the floor before storming through the house. He finally found his target and lunged forward, growling as his hands wrapped around the man's neck.

"You fucking bastard," he spat as Blaise's eyes shot open with fear and confusion. Draco pulled him up only to turn him and slam his head down so his back was now on his desk. "How did you fucking do it?" he growled.

"Wh-Dr-Sto-op!" Blaise choked as he struggled beneath his friend's grasp.

"Tell me!" Draco snapped, releasing his grip so Blaise could speak, but immediately drawing his wand. "Expelliarmus," he said coolly and didn't drop his wand as his _friend's_ wand flew to him.

"What are you talking about?" Blaise panted as he rubbed at his throat. "Draco you reek of alcohol, what's going on? Is everything alright? I couldn't reach you, but something happened last night didn't i-" he winced as a fist connected with his jaw. "What the fuck Draco?" he growled.

"Shut up," Draco spat. "Why did you do it?" his hand was trembling as he pointed his wand at Blaise's throat.

"Do what? What the fuck are you talking about mate? What happened?"

"Ginny was attacked. The child is dead. Now Hermione's missing, mind telling me how that is?" he snarled.

"Wh-WHAT?" Blaise asked, unable to comprehend what his friend was telling him. "I-I thought something w-was wrong, b-but the Minister was all hush hush about it a-wait, me? Why would I know? Draco you can't possibly think I had anything to do with this! I was with you when we heard the scream!" he stammered, offended his best friend would even consider such a thing.

"But you still could have had something to do with it. Tell me, where did you disappear to on Halloween mate?" Draco questioned, his wand hand becoming steadier with each word.

"I went _home,_" he pleaded with his hands by his head. "What on earth makes you think it was me?" he frowned.

"Ginny said she caught a glimpse of a very specific dagger, one I know that is in your possession. An old family heirloom in fact," Draco smirked as he danced over his words.

Blaise's eyes lit up and Draco was certain he caught the culprit but he frowned as his old friend shook his head. "N-no I sold those over a year ago," Blaise stammered.

"How convenient," Draco snorted, taking a step closer to the wizard.

"No really, along with a lot of other old family objects to fund my new business. You can even check with old Borgin if you want," he offered.

"Borgin and Burkes shut down," Draco growled.

"Yeah but Borgin still takes antiques if you know where to find him, and he'll pay a pretty price for them too. Honest to god Draco, believe me," he sighed with one last attempt to convince his friend otherwise.

Draco's jaw set as he considered his friend's words for a moment before hesitantly lowering his wand. "You better not be lying to me mate," he warned as he held out a hand to Blaise to help him to his feet again. Blaise graciously accepted and immediately rifled through his desk drawers. When he pulled out a small vial Draco looked at him questioningly.

"I have a pensieve in that cupboard over there, I can prove it," he nodded his head in the direction of a tall cabinet against the wall in his office. Draco followed Blaise's lead, and even reluctantly gave him back his wand. He watched as the wizard withdrew a silver strand from his temple and placed it in the small vial to store. Draco took the vial while Blaise unlocked the cupboard and took out the pensieve, placing it on his desk. Emptying the vial into the pensieve, Draco looked up to Blaise who nodded in response.

Plunging himself into the memory, Draco sighed as he watched a confidant, and slightly younger version of his best friend walk into a small, worn out building in some dark alleyway. He watched as Blaise shook hands with none other than Mr. Borgin himself, and then frowned as a variety of objects were exchanged with the man for a large sum of money. Among those items were in fact the two daggers he was searching for. He pulled himself from the memory, happy to know that his best friend hadn't betrayed him, but suddenly disappointed that his list of suspects increased once again.

"Sorry mate," he muttered as he sat on the edge of the desk, his words finally slurring together as the alcohol hit him now that he was no longer in a drunken rage.

"It's all right," Blaise smiled and Draco felt a hand clap him on the back. "I'd do the same if it were my girl missing," he said.

Draco frowned and pulled away. "She's not m-my girl," he scoffed, trying to sound convincing.

Blaise chuckled and shook his head. "Don't even deny it; I've seen the changes she's made on you Draco. You've got it bad, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just a bit amusing how it turned out to be _her_ of all people."

"Yeah? Whaddyou know huh?" Draco spat, not liking where this conversation was going. He of all people did not need to be reminded that he was falling for Hermione Granger. The one person that would surely have his ancestors rolling in their graves, in fact he was almost certain his father would have a heart attack if he ever found out. He suddenly felt elated at the possibility and knew as soon as this was all over he'd have to have a good snog with her, right in front of old daddy dearest, a wandless daddy dearest of course. However the grim reality hit him as he remembered that that day may never come if he didn't figure out where Granger had gone, and soon.

"Fuck," he cursed as he thought about how much easier this would be if she were there to help him, knowing he could really use her tenacity and brain to figure this out. He had to remind himself however that if she were there, he wouldn't even have to consider looking for her. It was all very confusing to him just now and he let it show as he slammed his fist down onto the desk top.

"I hardly think my desk was behind it either," Blaise mocked with a raised eyebrow, but his smirk faltered as Draco sent him a deathly glare. "All I'm saying is beating up furniture isn't going to help mate. I'll speak to Borgin and try to find out who bought those daggers. As for you, you need to sober up and control your temper. Remember who you are. Slytherins don't just brood and punch aimlessly, save that for the Lions. Instead, use that anger to get _even_ Draco. You are far from being like your father, but you're still a Slytherin through and through, so clean yourself up and _act_ like one."

Draco frowned as his friend finished his speech. He was right. Draco's behaviour was unacceptable. Sure, Hermione was missing and sure, they seemed to be losing the battle, but that gave him no right to sulk into a bottle, or two, and give up on the war. He straightened himself up and nodded to his friend, but his dizzying headache had him clutching the edge of the desk once again. "Fuck," he cursed again.

"Here," Blaise said as he held out a small vial of a potion, "take this, it should clear you right up."

Draco nodded and tipped back the potion, instantly sighing with relief as his hazy mind cleared and he could feel the effects of the alcohol wearing thin. He could still feel a slight pulse at the back of his mind, but it was bearable considering the hell he would be going through shortly.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry's POV<strong>

It had been three days since the attack and there was still no sign of Hermione, nor was there sign of a sunny day ahead, which seemed fitting, especially today. The days were so full of hope, but that hope was gone and replaced with a grim reminder of their past and future. Harry wrapped his arm around his wife's middle as they stepped across the grass to the small hole in the ground next to his parents. It has always been said that there was nothing worse than losing a child, but Harry had never understood that premise, until now. From his own experience, he thought that it was cruel for a child to grow up without parents, but after losing his son before he even had a chance at life, Harry wasn't sure he'd ever recover. He certainly knew Ginny wouldn't. He pulled his wife closer to him, not wanting to lose her too, as they stared at the tiny coffin.

Before he could shed a tear, he switched his attention to the others gathered around the pit. He could hear the man speaking about ashes, and typical funeral prayers, but he refused to think of the reason they were there, still not fully believing it was real. His eyes fell on each patch of red hair until they landed on Ron, his very first and very best friend. He thought of the years they spent together, and the fights they had. He was grateful to have someone like Ron in his life. No matter how many times they would be torn apart, he could always count on Ron to be there at the end of the day.

Next, Harry's eyes fell on the pale skin of the last person he would ever expect to be a fairly crucial part of his life now. Draco Malfoy was standing awkwardly next to Neville Longbottom, his face twisted into an expression that Harry had only seen once before, in sixth year when he found him in the Girl's Lavatory. While he certainly hadn't forgotten the torments thrown at him and his friends throughout their school years, he knew first hand that the war had destroyed Draco, and that all the progress he was trying to make was enough to earn forgiveness. Especially since that progress had seemed to rapidly increase since Hermione entered his life. Harry briefly worried what would become of the blonde wizard now that Hermione was deemed missing, but thoughts on his other best friend quickly flooded his mind with fear.

When she first took off, he couldn't help but notice the tortured look in her eyes, a look he remembered seeing many times over the years in the mirror. He knew no matter what her friends thought, she would always look at this as her fault. He understood. He just wished she would confide in him rather than disappear off the face of the earth. While it was a possibility that she had given herself up, he knew it wasn't likely the case, especially since they would have heard from Bellatrix by now. Tomorrow they'd officially be able to send a search party for her, but Hermione was clever. If she didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be. He sighed as he worried for his friend, but wasn't surprised to find that he would rather worry about Hermione than face the reality of today.

No, nothing could compare to what they had to do today. Ginny's sobs brought him back to reality.

"No!" he shouted as the first scoop of soil was dropped into the grave. He fought off the arms holding him back as he leapt down into the tiny grave and fell on top of his son's casket, his tears flooding his face. "No," he choked out, his sobs ripping through his throat. It wasn't fair. He clung to the small wooden box that would hold his child forever. In a fit of panic, Harry threw open the led, earning a collective amount of gasps and cries from above, but he didn't care. He needed to see him one last time. As he stared at the tiny frame nestled into the coffin, he found he couldn't bring himself to cry. Little James looked so peaceful, as if he were merely asleep in his crib. A casket for a crib. He closed his eyes for a moment before reaching into his pocket to retrieve several shiny, silver shapes. One by one he placed each of the patronus ornaments from the mobile he created around his son's head, placing the final two, a stag and horse, in the tiny hands that were folded on his tiny chest. After placing a tiny kiss on his son's forehead, he let the casket shut and allowed Ron to pull him back up above the ground.

One by one, everyone dropped a handful of soil into the grave, each offering their condolences to him and Ginny. Harry pulled his wife into his chest and placed a kiss on top of her head as they thanked everyone for their support, until only a handful of people were left. Harry and Ginny, with the help of the Weasleys, filled in the last of the grave. They were all surprised to see Draco graciously conjure a bouquet of flowers to place next to the tombstone. He gave them a silent nod before stiffly turning to leave the graveyard.

"Ginny, I-I need to," Harry stuttered.

"Go," she nodded, knowing what needed to be done.

"Thanks," he replied with a firm kiss and took off after Draco. "Hey, Malfoy, wait up!" he called, thankful when the wizard slowed his pace. He turned and Harry noticed he tried to look as coy as usual, but his dull eyes gave him away. "Thank you for coming, really," he started.

Draco nodded and went to turn away again, but Harry stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Er, look I know I'm probably one of the last people you want to speak to, but, I know you care about her too. I just want to let you know, we're going to find her," he wasn't sure why he felt the need to comfort this man, especially on a day like today, but the words formed before he could even think them.

"Look Potter," Draco sighed, and Harry actually thought he might have looked defeated almost. "You and I both know if Granger wants to be found, she'll be found. If she doesn't, she won't be. Besides, you need to take some time to your family; it won't do Hermione any good to have you break down like you did earlier every time you are forced back into reality. Take it from someone who tried to forget reality for years, only falling deeper into myself until I was about ready to crack. I swear, I was about to crack too if it hadn't been for Hermione and her insufferable desire to find the goodness in everything." Harry almost could sense the humor in Draco's voice, but it quickly faded into pain once again as they both remembered just how stubborn she was. "You don't have to be a hero all the time Potter," he finally continued. "In fact, sometimes it's the hero that needs to be saved the most. Return to Ginny. I'll worry about Hermione."

"You don't have to do this alone," Harry offered, knowing too well the number of times his friends had helped him along the way and where he would have been without them.

Draco managed a small snort at his comment and shook his head. "I have my ways of doing things, and you have yours. Let me do this my way. I'm not like you Potter, I'm no hero, and despite what Granger may believe, I also can't be saved."

Harry blinked as he watched Draco finally turn away and leave, disappearing with a faint 'pop' before he could even respond. While he was nervous as to what kind of methods Draco could possibly resort to, a soft voice calling his name brought him back to the present, and the advice he was given. The minute he saw Ginny's strawberry red hair, he knew what mattered most in that moment. Hermione was clever, and Draco was resourceful, they would figure this out. Meanwhile he and Ginny now had a gaping hole that needed to be reinforced before it could be filled again.

"Harry?" Ginny squeaked again.

"Hmm?" he sighed as he took his wife's hand.

"Let's go home," she sniffed.

He wiped a stray tear from her cheek and nodded. "I love you Ginny," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and apparated them away from Godric's Hollow.


	29. Soul To Squeeze

**A/N:** Hey hey! Here's another update! Looks like from now on it'll mostly be weekend updates, with maybe some weekday updates sprinkled in between. Thanks for all the reviews! It really does help keep me motivated. I promise I will finish this story, I already have it planned out from here until the end, but writing is tiring when it's topped with schoolwork.

**Someone New:** I promise I will update this soon! I have the next chapter started; I've just been having trouble wording it right. I keep re-writing it over and over. I think I'm being too picky, especially since that one is only just beginning.

**A Lion's Heart:** The next chapter is going to focus on solving at least part of the mystery, but we're also going to take a look and see at how Ginny and Harry are holding up. I hope they're okay… Big things happening in the next few chapters! Everything is starting to pull together! Thank you for sticking with it! Read/Review/Favourite/Follow/Love/Sing/Dance Whatever you want to do, do you! Cheers! Xx

**Disclaimer:** I make NO money off this. Everything belongs to J.K Rowling, except maybe my insane plot ideas…

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 28:<span> _Soul to Squeeze_**

**Draco's POV**

Draco pulled his hood down a little further, despite being unrecognizable with the help of a little polyjuice potion, as he followed the shifty looking man through the damp alleys of the old Knockturn alley. After the war, Diagon Alley was raided by the ministry and all stores were forced to shut down, anyone seen trading or selling anything would be arrested on the spot, so many people went into hiding. Despite the fact that Draco himself had been ostracized by Wizarding Society in a similar manner, no one dared to be caught even speaking to him. It was funny really. Not only was he despised by regular society, he was even now hated by the scum of the wizarding world as well. He looked back on it now and realized he really had nearly hit rock bottom for a while there. Now wasn't much better either, but at least he could admit there were a select few that seemed to respect him. Maybe even cared for him. It was this thought that kept him determined to not sink back into his alcoholic behaviour and had him currently trailing one Mr. Borgin through the dark streets and back alleyways in disguise.

Draco stepped behind a wall as the wizard stopped at a door to his right and looked up and down the passage to be sure he wasn't followed. When he finally stepped into the building Draco quickly made his way down the street and stuck his foot in the door before it shut. He quietly snuck in and immediately found a hiding place among some cloaks hanging in the corner of the room. He watched as the man rifled through a desk drawer and pulled out a rare looking bracelet that Draco could sense was flooded with dark magic. He had been around enough dark artifacts in his lifetime to be able to sense dark magic without even needing a wand. They just seemed to have this innate ability to drain any lightness from the air, absorbing it almost. No wonder he had grown up as a spiteful, hate filled child.

Not wanting to wait any longer, he finally revealed himself and quietly stepped over and placed his wand at the back of the man's throat when he wasn't paying attention. "Say a word and you'll be dead," he snarled, causing the man to whip around in fear. Draco watched with an amused smirk as the man fumbled for his wand on the desk behind him, but immediately stopped as Draco shook his head, instructing him wordlessly that it wouldn't be wise.

"Wh-who are you?" Borgin stammered.

"That, is my business," he answered. "Your business, I believe, is to assist me with finding a rather rare object."

"I'm afraid I don't do that anymore, Sir, you are going to have to leave before I inform the Ministry."

"So that just happens to be an ordinary bracelet?" Draco asked. He clicked his teeth as he menacingly took a step forward. "Why would you lie to me?"

Borgin looked to the piece still clutched in his hand and let out a nervous laugh as he held it out in Draco's direction. "I can offer it to you for no less than 100 Galleons," he smiled, his green teeth showing.

Draco tried his best not to cringe at the man's lack of hygiene. Some things never seemed to change. "I'm not here for the bracelet, in fact, I'm looking for something you may have already sold," he said coolly. He bit back a chuckle as the man dropped the bracelet to the floor.

Borgin puffed his chest and did his best to intimidate the strange man in front of him, but he faltered as the man's eyes flickered black. "I-I run a strict confidentiality c-contract with m-my clients," he responded, but Draco knew the man would soon cave.

"I believe a set of daggers came into your possession about a year ago," he started, ignoring the man's statements. "They would be black, with silver snakes winding around the handle and up the blade. Hard to forget I would imagine. You are going to tell me where they are, and who might have them."

"I'm sorry Sir, even if I remembered the d-daggers, which I d-don't, I would n-not be able to tell you who purchased them. Rules are rules," he nervously replied.

Draco let out a sigh and removed his hood so he could run his hand through his temporary jet black hair. "I tried to be polite, I really did, but you've left me no choice, Cruci-"

"Wait!" The man yelled, and Draco smiled. He hadn't intended on actually using an Unforgivable, but knew how quickly the threat would work on getting what he wanted. "I-I sold them only two weeks ago. The man didn't give a name, but I-I've seen him before. His picture was in the p-papers. I think he's one of them Aurors at the Ministry. He told me that if I wanted to continue my business without being hauled to Azkaban I would need to give him the daggers. S-so I did. I swear it," he pleaded as he dropped to his knees.

It was too easy, Draco smirked. He certainly missed instilling fear into people. They were so easy to crack once you find their fears. It also felt good that he was using this technique for good this time, and not evil. "Thank you sir," he nodded as he knelt down and eyed the bracelet. "I think I will take this as well, you won't speak of this, understood?" he said as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to pick up the delicate piece and tuck it in his pocket. When the wizard hesitantly nodded in understanding he smiled and quickly got to his feet. "If you were able to show me a picture, that would be highly useful as well," he added as he made his way back to the door.

Borgin shook his head and looked to the floor as he too stood up. "I'm afraid I don't have one, but he was in the Daily Prophet sometime in the last year or so."

Draco nodded and quickly left the small, run down, building and traipsed back out onto the street. While the information was highly useful, it still didn't narrow down their options because he was almost certain that while it may have been an Auror behind obtaining the dagger, he highly doubted an Auror would be behind all the attacks. But the new lead did hold some promises, if only he knew which Auror it was.

As he finally entered back into his apartment, he checked every room to see if Hermione had returned, like he did every day, and then went back into the kitchen where he filled two small dishes with food and water for Crookshanks. When the cat entered the room, he was greeted with a small meow and flick of the tail as the orange beast sauntered over to his meal. He watched the cat eat for a few minutes before heading up to the bathroom to shower. Draco turned on the water and watched as his features started to shift back into his normal self while the room filled with steam. "Good as new," he smirked as his hair finally returned to his familiar platinum blonde. Removing his clothes, he quickly stepped into the shower and reveled at the burn of his skin as the water pelted down on him. He always liked his showers scalding, it always felt as if any wrong he had done was being scorched from his skin.

After a few minutes of soaking in the water, he ran his hands through his hair and felt the water drip down his back and torso as it trickled. He shut his eyes and his mind betrayed him as he thought of the first time he had showered when Hermione had moved in with him. He was just leaving the bathroom wrapped in a towel and had bumped into her small frame, cursing himself as he tried to keep the towel from falling to the floor. Her face had turned a delicious shade of pink and he quickly raced off to his room to hide his obvious arousal. He groaned as he came back to reality and gripped his hair tightly as if he were trying to pull any thoughts of her from his mind.

He wasn't exactly sure when he had fallen for her. In fact, he was still certain he hated her. He most definitely hated her, but in a new way than before. He hated the way she made him feel. He hated the way she always made him question his beliefs, or how she made him want to be a better man. Before they had been forced together to work on this little project, he was perfectly happy with being perfectly miserable. But the night they shared their very first drink together in that muggle pub something in him had woken up. Something he never knew existed, and had then denied existed until the night she had scolded him for thinking all he ever was going to be remembered as was a Death Eater. The minute he placed his lips to hers he felt it. He was certain she had too. Something between them was ignited that night. He vaguely recalled that around that time was also when she started to show signs of elemental magic.

His eyes shot open at the realization at what that could possibly mean and he quickly shut off the water and scrambled out of the shower, not even bothering with a towel as he ran naked back to his room. He scooped up the old book he had pulled from the bookshelf the day Hermione had disappeared and began to furiously flip through the pages to the one she had removed. He scanned the previous and latter pages to gather an idea about what this section was about and then threw the tome onto his bed as he sat on the edge. He brought his fingers to his temples as he tried to focus at this new information and tried to process just why she thought she could possibly be _better_ alone.

"How could I be so stupid?" he groaned as grabbed the book again and made his way to the living room, but not before throwing on a pair of trousers. He sifted through the books and parchment on the table until he found what he was looking for. Throwing the book on the sofa, he picked up one other book, a parchment with the prophecy scrawled on it, and then a blank piece of parchment as well as a quill. He flopped into the couch cushions and scooped up all his materials into his lap. Draco placed both pieces of parchment on top, using the books as a hard surface to write on.

"Okay," he muttered to himself as he pulled the parchment with the prophecy written on it to the front. "_When the sky falls on the fifth reunion, the darkest star will rule the land._ That means, sunset on May 2nd 2003, and Bellatrix Lestrange," he said as he scrawled the translations onto the new parchment.  
>"<em>The lion's heart must be devoured, to claim the power to rise again<em>, so Hermione's heart has to be eaten, I'm assuming before that date, in order to absorb her magic… _The lion and the best lieutenant have met before with the lion defying persecution,_ which refers to Hermione and Bellatrix, again. _And at the destruction of evil, the follower will lead to find her restitution._ So, after Voldemort died, she's been in hiding this long, planning her revenge. _The one with the heart of the royal beast has the power to change the course of bygone days._ Hermione is going to change everything… which she already has," he mentally noted to himself as he continued to rewrite their interpretations of the prophecy on the new sheet. When he finally came to the last line he sighed. "_So long as the frozen stars awaken, and set her heart ablaze_," he whispered as he tapped his quill against the page.

He quickly flipped through the Astronomy textbook that McGonagall had sent weeks ago and found the section he was looking for. The list of constellations mentioned that often times the naming of constellations and stars were correlated to different myths and legends. Which explained the textbook Hermione had ripped a page from, he thought. He then flipped through that book to just get some confirmation of his thoughts again before putting them to paper. The pages were old, and it was no wonder he couldn't find a title, it had worn off through time, and even the pages threatened to crumble at the slightest touch. He finally found the page before where she had torn, and read through the myths and legends surrounding some myth about a king called Midas. Next followed the tales of Minos, the son of Zeus and Europa, but the page in between the two he knew a specific set of mythology was removed. And that was the legend of Minerva.

While her life story wasn't all that important in Draco's life he did happen to recall one particular story about the legend behind his namesake that his mother used to tell him. It was just a little ironic that his namesake shared a tale with the namesake of his former professor. Though he did wonder if maybe it was more than a coincidence that she also was responsible for thrusting him into this new life he had found. He recalled the tale of Minerva and how she had defeated the dragon, Draco by sending him into the stars. It hadn't occurred to him until now that one particular detail in that story would be crucial to solving the last of the puzzle. You see, when the goddess Minerva threw the dragon into the sky, it contorted and tangled itself as it passed the North Pole on its way up, ultimately causing Draco to remain frozen in place, unable to untangle itself, thus being forced to remain in the night sky. "Frozen stars," he sighed as he scrawled the revelation onto the parchment before dropping his quill into his lap.

He was the key all along. The answer was right under their noses, and he was angry that he hadn't even recalled that as an option until now. He was even angrier that Hermione had probably figured it out, but still chose to leave. Once again, he found himself tossing the books to the floor in a fit of rage and stormed into the kitchen before he could do any more damage to his living room. He paced the room and tried to steady his breath, but found it increasing difficult as he thought about Hermione and where she could have disappeared to. "If she had just waited I could have," he muttered as he kicked at the base of the counter. But he couldn't finish his thought because he wasn't sure what he would have done really. He knew that she obviously reacted to him, magically, but he also knew that she would be too afraid to try and control it. He also knew that he probably wouldn't be able to control himself around her either, so really, what could he have done?

"I would have done something! Gone with her at least," he growled as he scooped up the curious cat that had appeared in the doorway. The cat purred beneath his arms as he clutched the fur ball and made his way back into the other room. "I'll find her Crookshanks, don't worry, I will. And when I do, I'll never let her go, I promise," he sighed as he looked out the window to find another rainy day. He briefly wondered if this was her doing, knowing it was a bit strange for this much rain. As he tried to develop a plan, he ultimately realized it would be too hard to track her down and instead settled on finding the Auror that had taken the knives. However, his immediate plan consisted of settling into bed for the night, and for the first time, he even allowed Crookshanks to sleep on the foot of his bed as he buried himself beneath his covers.

* * *

><p><strong>Ron's POV<strong>

Ron sighed as he stacked the boxes of George's latest Weasley invention onto the shelves. He had been coming into work more often, choosing to even stay as late as midnight, to keep him busy. It had been almost what, two weeks now, since Hermione's disappearance and he felt completely and utterly useless. No one knew where she was. Harry was busy with Ginny, rightfully so, and his Mum and Dad were constantly visiting Ginny as well. George and Angelina had taken turns speaking to their various contacts, but so far no one had heard news of where Hermione Granger was. Malfoy seemed to be the only one working almost as endlessly as he was. This was Hermione Granger, their best friend, and the only two people working tirelessly to find her were her ex-boyfriend and her school tormentor. The world really had gone upside down he thought. Even the Minister was of no help. Kingsley had seemed very adamant that the news of Hermione's disappearance be kept on the down-low. In fact, he wanted them to simply do nothing. But that just wasn't good enough for Ron.

Three days after her disappearance, Ron went to check on her parents, however, they weren't home at all that day. Figuring they must have been out of town, he waited for a few days before returning. However, by the weekend, there was still no sign of them. He returned every day for the next four days until the last day he finally was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Granger. While he certainly knew Hermione and her parents were going through a rough patch, she hadn't even mentioned them over Christmas, he couldn't help but feel their reaction to her disappearance was lacking. In fact, they hardly shed a tear. A flicker in her father's eyes, however, told him just how worried they really were, even if their stubbornness to show it said otherwise. He could definitely see where Hermione got her traits from.

The next day, Ron went back to check up on them, but once again, he found the house was empty. He performed a few quick spells to see if anything had been tampered with, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, apart from their constant avoidance of their own home. That was about when he started filling his time with more work at the shop, when he realized he had no clue what to even try doing next. Ron couldn't convince the Minister to do anything about the obvious betrayal within the Auror department, and no longer being an Auror himself, he couldn't very well do anything either. Harry was in no shape to investigate, though he knew his best mate would throw himself instantly into looking for her, Ron couldn't dare ask for help. Not after Gi—he couldn't even finish the thought without nearly coming to tears so he cleared his mind and went back to the task at hand, stacking boxes of Weasley's Wandering Whistles onto the shelves for tomorrow morning.

A few minutes later a clock chimed to signal it was now one o'clock in the morning. With a yawn, Ron decided it was really time to head back to his flat to get some much needed sleep. Tomorrow was going to be another busy day of distractions. When he reached his flat he trudged through the door and made his way to the staircase, oblivious to the figure pacing in his living room. It wasn't until he heard his name did he turn around, nearly falling down the few steps he had started to climb in the process. "Wh-who's there?" he growled as he grasped his wand, his knuckles turning white.

"Relax Weasleby," Draco drawled as he stepped into the hallway. "It's just me. I need to talk to you."

Ron's eyes narrowed as he cuttingly eyed him up and down. "What was the first thing you ever said to me?"

Draco rolled his eyes as he ran his fingers through his hair, annoyed by the time being wasted over petty things. "Red hair, hand-me down robes, you must be a Weasley," he snorted in response and smirked as Ron seemed to relax a little.

"Close enough," he shrugged with a tired yawn. "Why are you here?"

"You think the Aurors are crooked correct?" he asked.

Ron raised an eyebrow and gave a small nod as he tucked his wand back into his pocket and crossed his arms.

"Well I might have proof. I've got a lead on the dagger," he smirked.

Ron's eyes widened and had to shake his head to come back to the present. "How? Who? Tell me everything," he demanded as he desperately gripped onto the collar of Draco's shirt.

Draco tried to cover his disgust as he peeled Ron's hands off his clothes and then directed them both back into the living room. "Well, I had a strange sense that I had seen the dagger Ginny had mentioned before. It wasn't until a few hazy firewhiskey memories that it dawned on me, but I remembered seeing them at Blaise's."

Ron was about interrupt, but a firm hand told him to wait, and in a rare moment, he actually listened.

"I already confronted him, he doesn't have them. He sold them a year ago; he even showed me his memories to prove it. I managed to track down the buyer who had then told me an interesting bit about the man that bought them off him!" Draco smirked to him amusement as he remembered Borgin trembling in fear. He could only imagine what the Auror behind all this would do when he finally reaches him.

Ron couldn't take the games anymore and let out a deep, frustrated sigh. "Are you going to bloody well tell me what you're doing here, or are you just wasting my time," he growled.

"He didn't have a name, but he swears it was an Auror. Someone who has been shown on the front page at some point in the last year."

Ron frowned at the thought that not having a name wasn't very helpful, but the second bit of information had him suddenly grinning as he was filled with hope. "That shouldn't be too hard to narrow down. I can easily get copies from Luna, her and her father collect them to compare to the Quibbler, I'll track that down, and then we can find out who-"

"We?" Draco cut him off. "No, no Weasley. I get that you might be used to working as a team, and seeing as the brains and the brawn of your usual operations are out of the question, you have no one to carry your weight around, so you think suddenly that makes us a team, but you're wrong. I work alone. I don't have partners, I have connections. You will get the papers, and then bring them to me, and that's that."

Ron's face was started to turn red as he took a step towards the blonde wizard, poking him in the chest as he moved closer. "You listen here Malfoy, I don't fancy working with you either, but this is _my_ sister we're talking about. And this is Hermione, my _best friend._ I agree Harry should be left out of this, but I am more than capable of figuring this out on my own. In fact I have some information that you might not have either," he finished rather smugly and proudly folded his arms across his chest.

"Doubtful," Draco snorted, "but please, indulge me."

"Hermione's parents are hardly ever home," he answered.

"They do have jobs," Draco rolled his eyes.

Ron shook his head. "No. Not like that. They'd be gone for days at a time. No sign of them, and when I visited to tell them what happened or find any information, they were, indifferent," he frowned.

Draco frowned as well and gave a small nod. "Well, their reaction might have to do with the fact that they practically disowned their own daughter a few months ago, but them being AWOL is certainly suspicious, I'll give you that Weasley," he said begrudgingly. "Fine, if you want to help, go ahead, but we're doing this my way, and if you don't agree to what I say, then just don't get in my way."

Ron smiled in triumph and held out his hand. "Deal," he smirked.

Draco looked down at the hand for a few seconds before reluctantly shaking it with the roll of his eyes. _Another reason to hate you, Granger, _he thought, _making me work with Weasley._

"Next time you think about entering my house, wait until I'm home Malfoy, it's just fucking creepy," Ron yawned as he turned away from the wizard with every intention of finally getting some sleep. He was filled with purpose and a new found hope, so the sooner he got his rest, the sooner he could start to track down his sister's attacker.

"Whatever," he heard the blonde wizard scoff before the sound of the fireplace roaring to life filled his ears. When he looked over his shoulder as he climbed up the stairs to his room, he was happy to see Malfoy had shown himself out. It was strange really. He still couldn't stand the man, but he couldn't truly hate him either. Not with how much he blatantly cared for Hermione. It killed him to admit it, but he noticed his friend had seemed to gain some life back into her spirit ever since Draco had shown up, and he wouldn't trade seeing his friend happy for the world. Now if only he knew when he'd see her again.


	30. Cross Your Fingers

**A/N:** SO SORRY GUYS! I know I kept you waiting a while huh? School and life caught up with me but I'm back! Don't worry, next chapter will be up soon too… woohoo!

As for my other story, Something New: I'm working on it too! That one is just harder to get down because this one is already planned out all the way up until the end, the other one is still new and I'm trying to work out some kinks in the story line. But thank you for being so patient with me!

You'll notice there's a return of some characters in this chapter. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I take ZERO credit for anything J.K Rowling created. I just play with the story.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter Twenty-Nine<span>: **_**Cross Your Fingers**_

**Harry's POV**

It had been four weeks and the pain was still fresh. He knew he hadn't been a terribly great boyfriend to Ginny over the years, constantly pushing her away in an attempt to protect her. Even after the war, when he was finally willing to commit to her one hundred and ten percent, it had been hard. The first year he had spent a lot of his time looking over his shoulder or rubbing at his scar, it had never burned him since Voldemort had died, but the slightest head ache, his hand would fly up just to make sure. It had taken a particular bad fight with Ginny resulting in nearly a terrible break up to make him finally realize the war was over. With that realization however, came the grief. The grief of all the people that had given their lives for the war, for him, hit him harder than waves crashing against the Cliffs of Moher. Each face brought on a fresh memory, sending him tumbling under the current again and again, only able to surface for moments at a time.

During these moments it was Ginny that brought him strength, and he knew it was hurting her to see him that way, but she didn't fight it, instead took him in her arms and filled his heart with purpose. Slowly, and together, they were able to rebuild a family together. When she accepted his proposal, the crack in his heart had started to fill, like she was hand gluing each piece back together. The day of their wedding was the day she had finished repairing the damage, however the cracks were still there, and some days were harder than others. It wasn't until he found out he was going to be a father did the cracks seal over, creating a seamless surface, making his heart whole again. He had been filled with so much hope, they both had, and then it had all come crashing down in a matter of minutes. That's when he knew, that no matter how much he tried to put his heart back together, it would forever remain fragile. Except this time, his wasn't the only heart that needed mending, this time Ginny would not be there to pick him up. This time, he needed to fix this himself, for the both of them.

After the funeral, Harry made a promise to himself that he wouldn't fall apart. He would be there to pick Ginny up off the floor, he would be strong for the both of them, and he was, at least until he was alone. There were many nights he had woken up to find Ginny asleep in a chair next to the tiny crib in their son's room with tear stains on her cheek and a small, knitted jumper in her lap that had a golden letter 'J' in the middle. After the third night in a row of finding Ginny this way, Harry had transfigured a chair into a sofa to be placed against the wall, next to the crib. It was just large enough so that the two of them could sleep somewhat comfortably in each others arms any time they mourned their loss through the night. Each day she seemed to get stronger and stronger, but Harry could see the haunted look in her eyes. Gone was the sparkle that resembled the fire burning deep within her, and he so desperately wanted, no, needed, to get it back. He just didn't know how.

The days dragged on, and Harry spent his days doing everything in his power to make his wife comfortable. He would give her massages, and run her baths or make her meals. He would even try to tease her the way he used to, just to get some kind of reaction out of her, but all he ever received was a meek thank you, or a tiny smirk. He knew he should be grateful for even the tiniest response, but it was starting to frustrate him. _Merlin,_ he thought, _is this how I was?_ He had a hunch that it was. He had already lost his son, and now he felt that he was losing her too. A tear dripped down his cheek as he sunk to the floor and put his head back against the wall of the bedroom, his eyes falling to his sleeping wife on the burgundy leather sofa, her tiny hand wrapped around one of the bars of the crib.

He was failing her. When he was broken beyond repair, she had persevered and fixed the impossible. Now she was lying broken and he was failing. It wasn't for lack of trying, Merlin knows he was trying, but how could he fix someone when he was so broken himself? How could he possibly know how to make her happy, when he himself felt as if the Dementors had imbued themselves into his very soul? He scoffed slightly as that thought ran through his mind.

"Expecto Patronum," he whispered as he held his wand above his knee. His mouth twitched as a faint glow appeared, but soon fizzled away. Perhaps there really were Dementors inside him. A small cough had him too his knees and crawling to his wife who was stirring in her sleep.

Harry strained to hear what she was saying, and it was barely a whisper on her lips, but to him it was clear as day when she cried out to their son.

"James," she sobbed again, with her voice cracking through.

"Shh, it'll be okay, I'm here," he cooed as he traced his hand through her hair, soothing her back to sleep. Ginny stopped muttering, but the frown creased into her brow still remained. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and let himself relax, his back resting on the bottom of the sofa. Harry shut his eyes and let his head fall back against the cushions. "Where are you Hermione?" he sighed before opening his eyes again to look out the window.

The weather hadn't let up, and he currently thought it odd to see lightning flash across the sky in February, but he had a feeling it had more to do with the impending war than unusual weather patterns. A loud rumble across the sky caused his heart to jump, he had always been afraid of storms and he knew too well it was his subconscious reminding him of the day his parents were murdered. Every time a storm roared through the sky he would be filled with memories of his parents. He knew most of them were false memories, his imagination filling his mind with moments that never happened but he wished all too much that they had.

Now however, the storm brought something different. No longer did he picture him and his father practicing quidditch over summer holidays, nor did he imagine his mother dragging from store to store in search of dress robes for an upcoming ball of sorts. In its place were thoughts of his son, James, and the future they could have had together. He pictured little James running through the house laughing as Ginny chased after him, he imagined his son's first day of school and first quidditch match for Gryffindor, Harry's mind filled with memories from a future that was stolen from him. The light patter of rain against the window brought him out of his thoughts and he found his cheeks were damp with fresh tears.

With a sigh, Harry pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the window. He placed his hand on the glass and felt the cold, damp air seep through to his palm, stealing the heat from his skin as quick as the hope was stolen from him. For the first time in his life, Harry truly felt there was no hope. His child was stolen from him, somehow the ministry was still corrupt, they hardly had any leads, and now the only person who could possibly figure this whole mess out, was missing. "Come home Hermione," he whispered as he shut the curtains, shutting out the growing storm and turning back to his sleeping wife. He hated not being able to fix everything, but Malfoy was right, it was going to be hard enough to repair the empty hole in his family. He just had to trust that for once, someone else was willing and more than capable of bringing back his friend and restoring hope to their lives. It just never occurred to him that person might just be Draco Malfoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Draco's POV<strong>

Draco sipped on his tea as he sat on the sofa; his strained eyes were unblinking as he stared into the flames, waiting for the familiar shade of green. While under normal circumstances he wouldn't stand to wait for people who couldn't bother to be on time, but in no way was he under a normal circumstance. The fact he was waiting for Weasley to enter his flat was proof of that enough. He wasn't exactly sure when he had considered the irritating ginger a friend, well, acquaintance was more accurate, but it didn't mean he thought any higher of the boy. While his status was no longer of any concern to Draco, Ron still lacked manners and any sort of semblance of social protocols. In fact, he was now bordering on twenty minutes late. Draco let out an annoyed groan at the fact that perhaps he would be better off alone, but his thoughts were cut off as the fire place roared to life.

Finally the flash of orange hair stepped into the room from under the mantle. "Sorry mate, had to pop by the Burrow to see Mum, she's been a wreck but Luna was able to get us every paper from the last two years! I got an extra year just in case," Ron began to ramble as he entered the room.

Draco cringed as the boy sat in the chair without so much as dusting his robes or wiping his feet. He stared at the soot stained foot prints across his carpet and he had to take a deep breath to compose himself. "Good. Let's get started then," he said with a nod, mentally making a note to clean up the mess later.

Draco reached to pull the first paper from the stack but as he tugged it towards him, something was tugging it in the other direction. He looked up at the redhead and gave him a scowl before tearing the paper out of Ron's hands. Ron glared at him and rolled his eyes. "Somebody's got a stick up their arse," he could just barely hear Ron mumble under his breath.

"What was that Weasley?" he challenged with his eyebrow high on his forehead.

"All I'm saying is you could relax a little," Ron shrugged before picking up the next paper in the pile.

Draco's jaw tightened as he bit back the words he wanted to say. "Excuse me for finding this matter rather pressing. I know you lot are a bit slow, but you do realize that your sister was nearly murdered, your nephew is dead, Hermione has been missing for weeks now, the due date for this prophecy is in just over three months, and we are as close to solving this as we were a year ago. You obviously don't give a shit about urgency, so you can leave. I have no more use for you," he dismissed Ron with the wave of his hand before turning to the paper now resting in his lap. He rustled the pages and began to read, but before he could get past the first sentence the newspaper was ripped from his hands. Draco shot to his feet and pulled out his wand but was met with an equally fuming Ron.

"I give a shit," Ron growled, "don't you dare think otherwise."

Draco lowered his eyes and shook his head. He noticed tears were starting to form in the other wizard's eyes so he lowered his wand. "Don't let your emotions show. That's the quickest way for your enemies to find weakness," he said and promptly sat back down. He reopened the paper and got back to their research, leaving a confused and upset Weasley standing in his living room. Relieved when Ron finally sat back down and started to search through the stack, Draco started to skim through each paper as fast as he could, looking for any pictures of an Auror that may be one of the culprits. The problem was, since the end of the war, there was always a reason for an Auror to be in the paper.

The two quickly devised a list of each Auror featured in a paper since the last year, and underlining those that were featured on the front page or mentioned multiple times. They also put a circle around the names that were involved in rather suspicious cases. The latter was something the two were both equally valuable in uncovering, Draco with his knowledge of the Dark Arts, and Ron with his experience in the Ministry before he left. After about halfway through the stack, they came up with a list of thirty-two names, half of which were underlined, and about ten names were circled.

"Okay, so that's the most recent year, I think we can stop there for now and focus on the names we have," Ron suggested as he threw the last paper onto their discarded pile.

Draco leaned back in his seat and tapped his quill against his knee as he went over their list. "I think we should focus on the ten names we've circled," he suggested as he finally pried his eyes away from the parchment. "Then if we still haven't come up with anything, we'll move on to the underlined, and finally the rest, thought I think those are pretty much dead ends. Hungry?" Draco asked with an eyebrow raised as he heard a low rumble from across the table.

Ron's face turned beet red and he scratched the back of his head as he stumbled over his words. "Er- yeah, I haven't really had time to," he started.

"_You_ haven't had anything to eat today yet? Merlin this world's gone topsy turvy. Help yourself to whatever's in the kitchen. I'm sure Hermione's stocked it up ages ago with whatever disgusting things you lot like to eat," he rolled his eyes.

Ron shot up from his chair but froze in his place with a slight smirk on his lips. "That's the second time you've called her Hermione today," he mentioned.

Draco frowned. "That's her name is it not?"

Ron snorted and left to go find himself some food while Draco glared daggers at the retreating boy. He didn't understand what the big deal was about using Hermione's name, sure, he usually called her Granger, but surely he'd used her first name in front of her friends before. Hadn't he? He thought about it for a moment but then abruptly wondered why even cared at all what her friends thought about it. They didn't matter, just her. Just the girl with the bushy hair and big brown eyes mattered now. Just the one that had stolen his heart, only to return it back in better condition than it ever had been. Just the woman that had seeped under his skin and made his darkest nightmares disappear. Just Hermione Granger, the girl who gave him his life.

Suddenly a loud tapping at the glass on his window alerted him back to the present. He shuffled over to the window to see a large barn owl tapping away. As he opened the window he dove to the ground as the creature bolted into the room, knocking anything over that stood in its path. "Bloody owl," he scowled as he got back to his feet. "Weasley!" he yelled and glared at the man that came running into the room to see what the commotion was about. "This yours?" he asked, pointing to the owl that was now pecking at his furniture.

Ron looked to the owl then back to Draco and shrugged. "Not mine," he muffled with his mouth full.

Draco frowned and made his way over to the beast that was doing quite a number on his upholstery. "Give me tha-ow! Bastard!" he jeered at the owl after being bit on the hand.

"He probably knows you're a right prick," Ron offered with a laugh.

"Shut it Weasleby," he snarled. Finally clutching the rolled up paper and a small piece of parchment, he shooed the owl away, not bothering to give the creature a treat. He shut the window tight, and then turned back to his seat as he first read the tiny note.

_Thought you might want to see this._

_-Z_

"What's it say?" Ron asked.

"It's from Blaise, looks like he sent over a copy of," Draco paused as he read the bold headline. _No,_ he gasped as he reread the front page, not believing what he was seeing. "Fuck. This can't be happening," he groaned.

"What is it?" the other man said, his voice cracking with a little more concern.

"It's tomorrow's paper," he replied and threw the paper down onto the table between them.

Ron glanced down at the page and his eyes widened.

_HERMIONE GRANGER MISSING AFTER WAR-HERO'S CHILD MURDERED_

_Was she taken by the culprit? Or is our Golden Girl not so golden after all?_

_Get the inside scoop on page three._

"Who wrote this?" Ron growled.

"Who do you think?" Draco groaned as he sunk down into the sofa, his head falling into his hands.

"That bitch won't get away with this!" Ron yelled as he began pacing on the carpet. "Who does she think she is? I'll expose her! I'll bloody kill her!" he rambled on.

Draco picked up the rest of the paper and turned to page three to see what cockamamie story Skeeter has come up with this time.

On the top of the page was a picture of a rather thin, slimy looking man standing in the middle of the Atrium. He had a worried look on his face, but a tiny twitch of his lips, and the glint in his eyes was enough to tell Draco everything about him. This man could not be trusted. The caption labelled him as Mr. Trunkle, a concerned co-worker of Hermione's that worked very closely with her on the Elfish Welfare project. Draco snorted at the comment for he had never seen, nor heard of the man once in his entire time helping Hermione with her work. Though he did recall her complaining once or twice about pompous jerk, but he half thought maybe she was speaking about him.

He turned his attention then to the story that followed.

_In the late minutes of New Year's Eve, an attack happened at the Ministry's annual Gala. At the toll of midnight, a scream was heard coming from the bathroom where one Mrs. Ginevra Potter was found in a pool of her own blood, cradled in Miss. Granger's arms. Sources say shortly before the attack, Miss. Granger was seen leaving the Gala to check on her then eight month pregnant, 'friend'. Mrs. Potter was soon recovered by the brilliant hands of the Healers at St. Mungo's, but unfortunately, her child did not survive. Ginny Potter Nee Weasley, and Harry Potter were school sweethearts and braved an entire war, fighting to have their chance at a life together. Now that life, it would seem, has been unjustly stolen from them. James Sirius Potter was to be a beacon of light in this world, may he rest in peace._

_Sources say that Miss. Granger disappeared shortly after the news of the death of the child as she was seen bolting from the hospital doors and disappearing as soon as she caught sight of none other than reformed Death Eater, Draco Malfoy. (We will cover more on the disgraced Malfoy family next week, and what young Draco's motives might be.) According to a valued co-worker, Mr. Bernard Trunkle, Hermione hadn't been in to work for months. It would appear that Minister Shacklebolt had given her leave to work from home so that she may spend more time at the Dobble Center for Elfish Welfare. However, Mr. Trunkle informs me that she had seemed rather unstable the last time he saw her, suggesting that perhaps there was more to her leave of absence than initially let on._

_According to Mr. Trunkle, he was concerned for her and decided to check in and see if she needed any help with the workload, but when he arrived at her apartment, she was nowhere to be found. He then checked if she was staying at the Center, but the Elves had told him she only visited once every few weeks. That doesn't exactly sound like someone who is supposed to be committed to the welfare of an entire species. If she wasn't at home, and she wasn't at work, just where had Miss. Granger been?_

_A recent sighting of our Golden Trio suggests that perhaps Miss. Granger isn't as perfect as she lets on. Former flames and supposed best friends of the Granger girl, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley, have both made it very clear that neither of them is interested in any sort of relationship with the girl. What really happened that night? Why has the Ministry been trying to cover it up? Who is the culprit behind this horrible act and what does it have to with Miss. Hermione Granger? Was it the romance of her most recent ex, Ronald Weasley, and Luna Lovegood, that set her off? Or could it have been that her jealousy of Ginny Weasley capturing the heart of Harry Potter had reached its boiling point? I guess we'll never know the truth, but I sincerely hope that justice prevails in these dark times._

_Rita Skeeter_

Draco threw the newspaper across the room as he finished reading. "How the hell could they approve this?" he snarled.

"Ever since the fiasco in fifth year with Harry being labelled as a liar, the Ministry has no more influence over what can or can't be said in the paper," Ron answered.

"How can that be? This is pure slander!" Draco yelled, not believing what he was hearing.

Ron shrugged. "It beats being labelled as the paper that tried to discredit the boy who saved the entire Wizarding World in their minds. But you're right. And Skeeter will get what's coming to her," he threatened.

"She'll find a way around this, she always does," Draco sighed. He was surprised however as a smirk appeared on Ron's face. "What?"

"Hermione picked up some dirt on old Rita in fourth year, she's an unregistered Animagus. Guess she figured with Hermione missing, she could say whatever she wants. Trust me; as soon as Hermione hears about this, Skeeter is ruined. In fact, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Hermione shows up tomorrow just to take that bitch down for good," he chuckled at the thought.

Draco frowned; disturbed that he was feeling slightly relieved because as long as Hermione was missing, he wasn't sure he could or _should_ ever feel relieved about anything again. "Well, until Her-Granger returns, we still have to worry about her reputation being tarnished, on top of all this other shit we have to do. So I think we need to make a visit to the Ministry to see about these Aurors, and while we're at it, let's make a stop at Granger's department. I don't like the looks of this Trunkle guy." Draco stood on his feet and summoned his cloak. He tucked their list in pocket beside his wand and made for the fireplace, Ron staggering behind him.

"I'll go straight to Kingsley and my old boss. Let them in on what's going on," Ron suggested.

"Just Kingsley, I doubt your boss had any part in this, but until we know for sure, no one else can know what we're up to," Draco said as he shook his head.

"Right," Ron nodded and stepped into the fireplace. "See you on the other side."

Draco watched as the redhead disappeared into a puff of green flames before stepping under the mantle himself. "Here we go," he muttered before dropping the gritty powder to his feet.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry's POV<strong>

Harry woke up to the sound of soft sobbing coming from just above him. He craned his neck back to see his wife clutching a small, red blanket with gold initials embroidered in the corner, and tears pouring down her cheeks. He brought a hand to her face to wipe away her tears, but the gesture only seemed to make her cry even harder. "I'm going to make some breakfast," he tried to smile, but it soon turned to a frown as he received no response. Ginny had her good days, where she seemed to be gathering her strength back, but then she also had her bad days, where Harry was almost certain the world was going to crash around them. Today was the latter.

He slowly got to his feet so as not to disturb her and made his way down to the kitchen. Turning the stove on, he pulled out ingredients for a Spanish omelet, something he had grown quick good at making, and something he knew his wife would love. Harry quickly chopped and combined the ingredients with the egg and threw it into the hot pan. While he waited for their meals to cook, his mind started to drift to his weeping wife. It crushed him to know how much pain she was in. He would give anything in the world to know what she was thinking and to make their pain go away. Hell, he was almost certain he would even consider bringing Tom Riddle back to life if it meant Ginny wouldn't have to suffer this tragedy any more.

What hurt him the most however was that it didn't seem to matter what he did to try and help because he was just as torn as she was. How could you fix what's broken in someone else, when you're just as broken as they are? The smell of his nearly burnt omelet brought his attention back to the food, but only temporarily. He quickly tossed the omelets onto their plates, and grabbed two glasses, filling them both with orange juice. He placed the dishes on a tray, but took a moment to gather his thoughts before carrying the meal upstairs.

Harry thought about Ginny, and how much she had changed his life over the years. He thought about the little moments they had, like dancing in their pajamas, or laughing when their son would kick at the sound of their voices. He thought about the way her hips would squirm beneath him whenever he would tickle her. He thought about how they hadn't been intimate in a month. Hell, they had hardly touched each other, apart from clutching onto one another in a fit of tears. It suddenly dawned on him that maybe that was the key to finding each other again. He needed to make her forget, even if just for a little while. She needed him to hold her, and make her feel like a Queen. Embracing each other in comfort is fine for siblings or friends, but she was his wife, and he was her husband. She needed him and he was letting her down.

With a newfound determination, Harry grabbed the tray and made his way back up the staircase with a goal in his mind. However a tiny creature at the top of his stairs had other plans. "Uh, hello, who are you?" he asked the wild-eyed elf. He noticed a long scar along the right side of the creature's face and she seemed to twitch at every movement he made.

"Harry Potter?" the tiny elf squeaked.

"Y-yes?" he replied. Before he could even ask for her name however, he felt her small hand wrap around his wrist. He dropped the platter to the ground in surprise as he felt the familiar tug behind his bellybutton that usually accompanied side apparition, and the last thing he heard was his wife calling his name before they disappeared.

As he slowly regained his sight and his head stopped spinning Harry frowned as he took in where he was. The place looked familiar, but he couldn't place where. He was about to whip out his wand and demand answers from the elf that practically kidnapped him, but the petite hand, and messy brown curls that were draped over the arm of the sofa before him gave him reason enough to pause.

"Hermione?"


End file.
